§ Q6. Mr. Alexander W. Lyonasked the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government plan to introduce legislation to implement Article 12 of the Inter- 1252 national Declaration of Human Rights and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights to protect the privacy of the individual.
§ The Prime MinisterThe law of this country is already broadly in keeping with the Articles to which my hon. Friend refers, and I see little prospect of legislation of the kind referred to in my hon. Friend's Question finding an early place in the Government's legislative programme.
§ Mr. LyonIs my right hon. Friend aware that English common law does not protect the privacy of the individual in the way in which American common law does in the United States? Would he consider the matter again because, although there might not be many cases which come to light, qualitatively the suffering and distress caused by invasion of privacy is very serious?
§ The Prime MinisterI will, of course, continue to consider the matter as my hon. Friend asks. I would not have thought that practice in the United States suggests that it is the most successful country in the world in preventing invasions of privacy of many kinds which are not usual in this country. In my Answer, of course, I was referring to any legislation which might be needed, and I think that my right hon. Friends and I are satisfied that we have the legislation and the common law system necessary to give effect both to the United Nations Declaration and to the European Convention.