HC Deb 07 October 2003 vol 411 c99W
Mr. Shepherd:

To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the statement of 16 September by the Foreign Secretary, Official Report, column 794, when it became Government policy that international treaties take primacy over national laws; and if he will make a statement. [131483]

The Prime Minister:

It is an established principle of international law that a State may not plead its national law to escape its international law obligations, including its treaty obligations. As a matter of UK constitutional law, international treaties have effect in UK national law to the extent that they have been implemented in national law. The UK has given effect to the principle of the primacy of Community law through the European Communities Act 1972.

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