To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the Government have made in their assessment of whether to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. (283965)

The work being undertaken within Government to examine the potential impact of the Convention against Enforced Disappearance on the law of the UK is ongoing.

This includes analysing the extent to which common law provisions may need to be replicated in statute law, the creation of one or more new criminal offences, and whether the UK required any reservations or declarations upon ratification. It is now clear that primary legislation would be necessary to permit ratification if the Government decide to pursue this course of action. This would be introduced when parliamentary time allowed.