§ Lord Alton of Liverpoolasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to withdraw their reservation in respect of nationality, immigration and asylum to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in the light of counsel's advice obtained by Save the Children which concludes that reservation is incompatible with the convention's object to protect all children. [HL2529]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker)The United Kingdom ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991. The reservation in respect of Article 22 in no way inhibits the discharge of our obligations under the convention. No child in the United Kingdom is in any way disadvantaged by the reservation. It is there to safeguard the right of the United Kingdom to determine its own immigration and nationality laws. We have carefully reviewed the reservation in the light of recent requests that it should be withdrawn. However, we are convinced that it remains necessary in order to maintain an effective immigration control.