AQW 5638/16-21

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 18/10/2016
Answered On Date: 08/11/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister , pursuant to AQW 3841/16-21, to outline (i) who was responsible for the decision to not attend; (ii) why that decision was not given in a timely manner; and (iii) whether they were aware that non-attendance would mean non-compliance from the United Kingdom.

Answer:

Attendance by a representative of the Executive at the dialogue with the UN in Geneva on 15-16 June 2016 was not, in itself, an international obligation under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. As such, non-attendance by a representative of the Executive does not mean non-compliance from the United Kingdom.

As outlined in the response to AQW 3841/16-21, no decision was taken concerning attendance. However, we are committed to actively engaging in the future to enable the many positive actions here to be reported back to the United Nations.