Written question asked by Lord Tebbit (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour) on Tuesday, 2 February 2010.

Rwanda

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Brett on 12 January (WA 152), stating that it is not the practice to ratify decisions to admit new members to the Commonwealth, when the decision of Her Majesty's Government to support the admission of Rwanda to the Commonwealth was debated in either House of Parliament.

Answer: Further to the Answer I gave in the House of Lords on 2 December 2009, and the written responses I gave on 14 December (WA 175) and 11 January (WA 152), the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala saw a review of the membership criteria and the condition of a constitutional link was replaced by a close link to an existing Commonwealth member state. The UK has supported Rwanda's bid to join the Commonwealth from this time onwards. This matter has been discussed publicly since this time. It is not the practice to ratify such decisions made by the Commonwealth or member states in national parliaments—including that of the UK. The decision on new applications to join is taken by all the Commonwealth Heads of Government. Commonwealth Heads of Government voted unanimously to allow Rwanda to join the organisation in Trinidad in November 2009.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 1540; 717 c30-1WA
Session: 2009-10
Related items: Commonwealth: Caribbean
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Oral questions
House of Lords; Commonwealth: Caribbean
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Oral answers to questions
House of Lords; Democratic Republic of Congo
Monday, 14 December 2009
Written questions
House of Lords; Rwanda
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Written questions
House of Lords; Rwanda
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Written questions
House of Lords; Rwanda
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Commonwealth Membership Parliamentary scrutiny Rwanda
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk