§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What approaches they have received concerning support for, and participation in, the 1996 World Congress on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children; what has been their response; and what is their policy concerning this social problem.
§ Baroness BlatchThe Swedish Prime Minister wrote to my right honourable friend the Prime Minister last October, inviting the United Kingdom to attend the world congress. It has been decided that the UK delegation should be led by my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office.
The Government have also received representations about the congress from the Coalition on Child Prostitution and Tourism, which represents several charities and non-governmental organisations concerned with the protection of children, and from a number of members of the public, often through their Members of Parliament.
The Government were represented by officials at the European regional planning conference for the congress, which was held in Strasbourg on 25th and 26th April.
The Government utterly condemn all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse of children, and are committed to taking all appropriate measures to ensure that children are properly protected against such abuse.