Children, Schools and Families written question – answered at on 6 May 2009.
Adrian Sanders
Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Commons)
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make it his policy to apply The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption to all overseas territories.
Beverley Hughes
Minister of State (Children, Young People and Families; Minister for the North West), Department for Children, Schools and Families, Minister of State (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (Children and Youth Justice) (and Minister for the North West)
For the Hague convention to be extended to any overseas territory, that territory must have the necessary legislation for implementing the convention in place. The 'overseas territories' are self-governing and our position is that implementation of the convention is a matter for them. Should an overseas territory wish to implement the convention, then we could extend the convention to that territory once the necessary legislation was in place.
We would encourage all countries to implement the Hague convention to protect the best interests of children in intercountry adoptions.
Yes6 people think so
No7 people think not
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