§ Mr. DonaldsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the United Kingdom Government will be in a position to ratify the Hague Convention on inter-country adoptions. [71487]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 22 July 2002]: The Government remain fully committed to ratifying the Hague Convention. All countries within the United Kingdom are working hard to ensure that the UK as a whole will be able to ratify the Convention as soon as possible. The Department has already consulted on draft regulations for England and Wales, and we are currently working on final regulations, taking account of the consultation responses that we received. Once final regulations have been made and laid in each of the respective parliaments, notice will be given to The Hague that the UK wishes to ratify in accordance with Article 46 of the Convention. The Convention will come into force three months after formal notification has been given. We anticipate that this will be at the beginning of next year.