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UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Volume 479: debated on Monday 21 July 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made towards the UK withdrawing its reservation to article 36(c) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (219961)

The United Kingdom (UK) does not have a reservation against Article 36 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. I assume the hon. Gentleman’s question refers to the UK’s reservation against Article 37(c) of the Convention.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Children, Schools and Families (Beverley Hughes) and I are considering the findings of an official level review into whether or not the reservation remains relevant to the secure estate for children and young .people in England and Wales. The reservation against Article 37(c) applies to the United Kingdom as a whole and so we are considering the overall position with the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office.