HL Deb 12 March 2002 vol 632 cc65-6WA
Baroness David

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How in light of devolution they ensure that their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child are consistently monitored and implemented across the United Kingdom; and [HL2612]

Following devolution, responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child throughout the United Kingdom rests with the United Kingdom Government and not with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales; and [HL2613]

In response to the concluding observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 1995 following examination of the United Kingdom's initial report under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, they have carried out an up-to-date review of action taken; and, if so, whether they will publish the results. [HL2614]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)

The Children and Young People's Unit (CYPU) is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child across the United Kingdom and will be co-ordinating the Government's next report in 2004. CYPU is a cross-departmental unit responsible for ensuring the coherence of the Government's policies for children and young people. In taking forward this work, CYPU is working closely with the devolved administrations and Whitehall departments to ensure a proper perspective across the United Kingdom. As with other international treaties, while responsibility for the convention as a whole rests with the United Kingdom Government rather than the devolved administrations, responsibility for implementation in respect of devolved matters does rest with the devolved administrations.

The Government responded to the Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations of February 1995 when we published the United Kingdom's second report in August 1999. The second report will be considered by the committee later this year. Given the time that has elapsed since the last report was submitted and the important changes that have taken place since then, we intend to publish later this spring a brief update on UK progress since 1999.