§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries that have in the past 30 years been voted out of(a) the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Human Rights Commission and (b) the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions; and if he will make a statement. [131628]
§ Mr. RammellThe membership of these UN bodies is decided on the basis of regular elections that are contested by member states. States serve for three years and must stand in elections if they wish to be reappointed. There is no procedure to vote countries out.
Over the last 30 years, many member states have been unsuccessful in their bids for election or re-election to UN bodies. I would refer the hon. Member to a list of member states' tenures on the Commission on Human Rights and on the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions over the past 30 years copies of which will be deposited in the Library of the House.