§ Lord Ashbourneasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there will be a full public consultation in the United Kingdom, as in Germany, after the Committee of Ministers has agreed the final text of the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine and before the Government decide whether to accede to it.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)The Government are aware that some of the provisions of the draft convention concern fundamental issues of conscience and of the need to take into account public opinion before deciding on accession, but have not yet152WA taken a firm decision on the method of achieving this aim.