asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is in the interest of those within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom to have recourse to the international complaints mechanisms under the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; and, if not, what is the reason. [HL303]

The Government remain to be convinced of the practical value to people in the United Kingdom of rights of individual petition to the United Nations. The United Nations committees that consider petitions are not courts, and they cannot award damages or produce a legal ruling on the meaning of the law, whereas the United Kingdom has strong and effective laws against discrimination under which individuals may seek remedies in the courts or employment tribunals.