International Court of Justice

(asked on 10th September 2026) - View Source

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2026 to Question HL2133, on International Court of Justice, what non-privileged advice and guidance he has given to the Government on the weight to be given to advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice.


Answered by
Andy Slaughter Portrait
Andy Slaughter
Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
This question was answered on 22nd September 2026

The Law Officers’ Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by the Law Officers, or requested of the Law Officers, and the Convention applies to your question.

The Law Officers’ Convention can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May:

“By long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the law officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. This convention is referred to in paragraph [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 13 October 2025]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”

Reticulating Splines