TNAG-2156-FCO40-3076-International-Covenant-on-Civil-and-Political-Rights-(ICCPR)-1990 — Page 95

Part III. SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT ON THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

Introduction

1. This supplementary report, accompanying the third periodic report of the United Kingdom under article 40, paragraph 1 (b), of the Covenant, provides information in respect of each dependent territory further to that given in the previous reports of the United Kingdom on the dependent territories (initial report: CCPR/C/1/Add.37 of 15 November 1978; second report: CCPR/C/32/Add. 14 of 20 June 1988 and supplement updating that report: CCPR/C/32/Add.15 of 5 October 1988), and in response to questions raised during examination of those reports.

2. Ten dependent territories are covered in this supplementary report, as follows:

A. Bermuda

B. British Virgin Islands

C.

BCDEF

D.

E.

Cayman Islands

Falkland Islands

Gibraltar

F. Hong Kong

G.

H.

I.

J.

Montserrat

Pitcairn

St. Helena

Turks and Caicos Islands

3. The reports on the dependent territories follow the same format but vary considerably in length and content. This reflects the many differences in the legal and administrative practices of the various territories, all of which have been closely consulted in the preparation of this report. Each territory has is own legislative assembly, which makes its own laws according to local circumstances, priorities and perceptions. One indicator of the diversity of the circumstances of these territories may be found in the different sizes of their populations, the latest statistics for which are as follows:

Bermuda

British Virgin Islands

Cayman Islands

Falkland Islands

Gibraltar

Hong Kong

Montserrat

Pitcairn

56,000

12,000

22,000

1,916

29,692

5,736,100

12,500

55

4.

St. Helena

Turks and Caicos Islands

7,046 13,000

During the session of the Human Rights Committee to discuss the second report, the question of publicity for the Covenant emerged as a matter of particular concern to the Committee. In response to the concern expressed, the British Government has produced a booklet containing the texts of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and has arranged for copies. of this booklet to be placed in libraries in the dependent territories.