Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking support proposals for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People.

The UK is committed to protecting the human rights of all persons, including older persons. We recognise the serious human rights issues that older persons often face in many parts of the world. The UK engages in the annual sessions of the UN Open Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEGWA), supports resolutions on the rights of older persons at the UN Human Rights Council and at the UN General Assembly, and engages constructively in the debate in other fora. We are supportive, in principle, of a multilateral instrument dedicated to the rights of older persons and welcome OEGWA's work to help deepen our understanding of these important issues, before we consider what might be the most appropriate solution. We will continue to work closely with academia, civil society and national human rights institutions to draw on their expertise and ensure that our approach takes account of their views.