Clause 7 - Consent to surrender
International Criminal Court Bill [Lords]
4:30 pm
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham, Conservative)
The Solicitor-General says that such cases are unlikely to occur. However, one condition in 7(2)(b) is ``by reason of . . . youth''. Child soldiers are used extensively in certain warring areas, so it is not unreasonable to assume that a situation might arise in which a minor—I would like the Solicitor-General to clarify any possible age limit—is subject to having to give consent to surrender, but is incapable of doing so and requires someone to do it on his or her behalf. I am not sure what the Solicitor-General means when he says that that is impossible. It might be unlikely, but it is possible or even probable in certain circumstances.