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

Unfortunately, the Explanatory Memorandum does not tell anyone, article by article, how domestic law already complies. There is nothing in it that says that, nor is there anything in any other government document. The Joint Committee has asked not for the fruits of two years of interdepartmental discussion but for a short document that says, "Article 13 is already covered in UK law by Section so-and-so of the Commonwealth so-and-so and the Disability so-and-so, while Article 14 is covered by so-and-so". That is what one needs to answer, for example, my noble friend Lord Maclennan’s question. Unless we have that, we cannot tell how it is that the Government are saying that legislation is not necessary in order for ratification. It is important that the public should know where existing law gives full protection and, therefore, where it is unnecessary to legislate further. On the broader questions about review, I am sure the Government will realise that Parliament will be reviewing all this during the Equality Bill debates. It may therefore be in less than a year that the Government will be compelled by Parliament to withdraw some of it—but that is another point.