Similarly, because the provisions of the Convention regarding
immigration and nationality are drafted in very broad terms, we will
need to enter a reservation to reflect the way our own Immigration
and Nationality laws operate.
It will also be necessary for the UK to enter a reservation in
respect of the operation of the unique system of children's hearings
in Scotland. Children's hearings in Scotland are informal and do
not admit adversarial representation by lawyers.
We
In the field of employment too, the Convention definition of a
child means that 16-18 year olds who are treated as young people
under UK employment legislation would fall within its scope.
will need to make a reservation on this aspect: however our
legislation more than matches the Convention's requirements on
minimum age of employment and contains the necessary provision for
enforcement and if need be prosecution for infringement of health
and safety measures.
In one other area also
-
in relation to the termination of
pregnancy we envisage a reservation will be entered to avoid
inconsistency with domestic legislation.
Our consultations will now continue with the Dependent
Territories and the UK Islands to move as quickly as possible
towards ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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