My hon. Friend asks a perfectly serious question. I do not know the answer. I suspect that it is not a drafting error, because it seems to me that the Bill closely reflects the words of the protocol. I would expect that the gaps in the protection are the product of the diplomatic wrangling that was needed to get the UN General Assembly to agree to the optional protocol. It is worth further exploring that point, but of course I understand the diplomatic dilemmas that our Government might have faced in deciding that they had to settle for half a loaf when they might have wanted something rather more ambitious.
Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [Lords]
Proceeding contribution from
David Lidington
(Conservative)
in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 1 April 2009.
It occurred during Debate on bills on Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [Lords].
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
490 c937-8 
Session
2008-09
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
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2024-04-21 10:43:50 +0100
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