HC Deb 22 February 1978 vol 944 cc1431-2
16. Mr. Silvester

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of individual applications made against each of the States which have accepted the compulsory jurisdiction under the European Convention of Human Rights for each of the last three years.

Mr. Judd

As the list is long, I will arrange for it to be published in the Official Report.

Mr. Silvester

I look forward to the Official Report with interest. Does the hon. Gentleman recognise that this matter has not been debated in the House, and will he therefore undertake that there will be a thorough public review of the advantages and disadvantages of compulsory jurisdiction, as it affects this country, before we renew it in 1981?

Mr. Judd

I shall take full account of what the hon. Gentleman said. It is our view that the acceptance of compulsory jurisdiction is an indication of the seriousness with which the Government treat the issue of human rights.

Mr. Frank Allaun

Although many hon. Members are genuinely concerned about freedom from Chile to Czechoslovakia, many other hon. Members are not—Members who are deliberately using the issue of human rights to wreck detente, disarmament and the Belgrade conference. When my right hon. Friend attends the conference, will he ignore that clamour and put peace first?

Mr. Judd

Anyone who knows my right hon. Friend will know that peace is at the top of his priorities. His commitment to human rights is illustrated by what he said this afternoon, namely, that we want no charades in this respect; we want substantial and meaningful progress.

Following is the list:

The number of individual applications lodged with the European Commission of Human Rights against each of the States which accepts compulsory jurisdiction in respect of individual applications is as follows:

1975 1976 1977
Austria 34 24 20
Belgium 41 28 27
Denmark 7 11 3
Federal Republic of Germany 113 142 95
Iceland 1 1 2
Ireland 6 5 3
Italy 15 18 12
Luxembourg 1 3 3
Netherlands 7 9 15
Norway 5 1 2
Sweden 9 2 9
Switzerland 30 30 40
United Kingdom 197 153 148