HC Deb 28 June 2001 vol 370 cc162-3W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what(a) the deadline dates for submission of UK periodic report obligations under the United Nations system and (b) the expected dates and location of sessions of supervisory and reporting bodies are for each of the next five years. [1146]

Peter Hain

As part of its commitment to promote human rights, the UK takes seriously its obligations to submit regular and comprehensive reports to the six UN Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Bodies. Wherever possible, the UK submits reports which cover the Metropolitan Territories, as well as the Crown Dependent Territories and the Overseas Territories.

The UK's Fifth Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) was submitted to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in August 1999. The UK's Sixth Report is due in August 2004.

The UK's Fourth Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights (ICESCR) was submitted to the OHCHR in December 2000. The UK's Fifth Report is due in 2005—a specific deadline has not yet been set by the OHCHR.

The UK's Third Periodic Report under the Convention Against Torture (CAT) was submitted in April 1998. Government Departments are currently compiling the UK's Fourth Report which is due in January 2002.

The UK's Fifteenth Periodic Report under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) was submitted in August 1999. A separate report covering the Overseas Territories was submitted in February 2000. The UK's Sixteenth Report (which will be an update on the Fifteenth Report) is currently being compiled and is due to be submitted in August 2001.

The UK's Second Periodic Report under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was submitted in August 1999. The UK's Third Periodic Report is due in September 2004.

The UK's Fourth Periodic Report under the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was submitted in January 1999. The UK's Fifth Report is due to he submitted in May 2003.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has so far only published a calendar covering Human Rights Committee meetings in 2001. By the end of the year:

  • The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) will have met three times in Geneva (8–26 January; 21 May-8 June; 24 September-12 October.
  • The Human Rights Committee (HRC) will have met three times, once in New York and twice in Geneva (19 March-6 April, New York; 9–27 July, Geneva; 15 October-2 November, Genevia
  • The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) will have met three times in Geneva (23 April-11 May; 13–31 August; 12–30 November).
  • The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) will have met twice in New York (15 January-2 April; 2–20 July.
  • The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination (CERD) will have met twice in Geneva (5–23 Mar 30 July-17 August.
  • The Committee Against Torture (CAT) will have met twice in Geneva (30 April-18 May; 12–23 November.

Full details of 2002 meetings will be published on the OHCHR website www.unhchr.ch later in the year.