HC Deb 09 December 2002 vol 396 c10W
John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Government will ratify the Optional Protocol on the UN Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict. [85956]

Mr. Ingram

Officials in both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have almost finalised the work required to enable the Government to ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. We will begin the ratification process very shortly by laying an Explanatory Memorandum before Parliament.