§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the compliance of the practice of recruiting men and women aged under 18 years to the armed forces with the United Kingdom's responsibilities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. [67215]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonThe UK is playing a full and active role in negotiations to agree an Optional Protocol to the UNCRC, which seeks to raise the minimum age of recruitment and for participation in hostilities. We consider that our current recruitment and deployment policies are in line with the principles that are being sought internationally.