HL Deb 13 April 1999 vol 599 cc118-9WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which member states of the Council of Europe have not ratified the First Optional Protocol lo the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966). [HL1814]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

According to the data which appear on the United Nations Human Rights Website, the Council of Europe member states which have not ratified the First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights are as follows: Albania, Andorra, Moldova, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which member states of the Council of Europe have not made the declaration pursuant to Article 14 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1966) to recognise the competence of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to receive and consider communications from individuals. [HL1815]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

According to the data which appear on the United Nations Human Rights Website, the following Council of Europe member states are party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, but have not made the declaration pursuant to Article 14 to recognise the competence of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to receive and consider communications from individuals:

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the following Council of Europe member states are listed as not party to the Convention: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Moldova and San Marino.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which member states of the Council of Europe have not made the declaration pursuant to Article 21 of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) to recognise the competence of the Committee against Torture to receive and consider communications from individuals. [HL1816]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

According to the data which appear on the United Nations Human Rights Website, the following Council of Europe member states are party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, but have not made the declaration pursuant to Article 22 to recognise the competence of the Committee against Torture to receive and consider communications from individuals:

Albania, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the following Council of Europe member states have not ratified the Convention: Andorra, Belgium, Ireland, Moldova, San Marino and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Although they have not yet ratified, on signing the Convention both Belgium and Ireland made declarations stating that they do not accept the competence of the Committee as set out in Article 22.