HL Deb 17 November 1998 vol 594 cc151-2WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will authorise the publication before the end of the year of the official records relating to the United Kingdom's ratification in 1976 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights and the International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights. [HL3806]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The texts of the covenants and of the declarations and reservations made by the United Kingdom on signature and on depositing its instrument of ratification are published in the Treaty Series of Command Papers (Treaty Series No. 6 (1997) Cmnd. 6702).

Official records in FCO files relating to UK ratification in 1976 will be made available at the Public Record Office in 2007 at their due date under the 30–year rule. We have no plans to accelerate their release at the present time.