European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) Order 2009

I am grateful to my noble friend. The problem of whether it creates new rights is exemplified by the fact that we asked the Government in our first report to tell us—to tell the public—how domestic law and practice are compatible with the requirements of the convention. I have already explained the Government’s reply to that, but it is impossible to tell whether it confers new rights unless one holds to the Government’s view of how it is compatible with domestic law. As they will not tell us, I for my part very much doubt whether it is correct to say that it does not conform to the rights, but that is why we cannot give a coherent answer.