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UK Borders Bill

My Lords, on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, I support the new clause to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Who could vote against such a clause? As with so much else in the Bill, we are here concerned with the effect on children. In previous debates and many questions about ratifying completely the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, we always come to the argument that any ratification should not undermine the United Kingdom’s immigration policy. I think that we can resolve that issue once and for all in the Bill. Are our commitments to the United Nations and in European conventions to take our place on the international stage 100 per cent, or do we continue to pick and choose and to refuse to ratify certain protocols? We have an opportunity here not only to safeguard children but to reinforce our commitment to international obligations. If we continue to say, ““We will ratify this but not that””, we are telling all nations, ““You can pick and choose also. If you do not want to approve a certain part of a treaty, there is no need, you can pick and choose””. If we want to lead internationally—this is surely an opportunity for Her Majesty's Government to do just this—in the global sphere, we have the opportunity to do so by saying, ““Yes, we will put our obligations to children above that to any United Kingdom policy””. Noble Lords on the opposition Benches who are not Liberal Democrats might find it difficult to take that point of view, but those treaties were hard fought. The conventions were argued through and through on the international stage. Now, in the 21st century, we can say that our obligations at this level must be agreed to and reinforced. Our obligations towards children in the Children Act 2004, for example, must be enshrined on an international level. We must promote children’s welfare and all ways of safeguarding children. In so doing, we take another step towards international understanding and international action. Two things are involved here: the welfare of the children and the UK taking a lead on a world level. I support the amendment.