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International Labour Organisation
DS 6 DS 9
Miss M M Swan
Miss JA T Oldfield
11. The main responsibility of Miss Swan and Miss Oldfield, who are formally a part of the General section though in practice they operate independently, is to advise Dependent Territories on their application of International Labour Organisation conventions ratified by HM Government, and on the general principles of labour legislation. As a member of the International Labour Organisation, HM Government has certain obligations in respect of Dependent Territories for whose international relations it is responsible, even though many of the territories have achieved internal self- government.
12. When the ILO publishes a new convention a White Paper is produced by the Department of Employment setting out HM Government's position with regard to the convention and indicating whether or not it proposes to ratify it. The White Paper, with a copy of the convention, is sent by Miss Swan to all Dependent Territories with advice on the type of "declaration of intent" they should make. The declaration may be of the following four types:
2.
b.
C.
intend to apply in full;
intend to apply with modification; inapplicable; and
d. decision reserved.
Each Dependent Territory is required, irrespective of the type of declaration made, to submit biennial reports to the
ILO on the progress made towards full implementation and on whether or not there has been any change in legislation since the previous report which might affect the implementation of the convention. Since there are, at present, about 70 conventions ratified by HMG, this involves the production of about 35 reports each year by each of the 18 territories; ie more than 600 reports each year. Each report is sent to
Geneva where the ILO Committees of Experts examine it in depth before themselves reporting to the Conference Committee on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations. The ILO Workers' Group of the Conference Committee tend to be particularly critical of labour legislation and practices in "colonial" territories.
5.
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113. The failure