HC Deb 04 March 1980 vol 980 cc104-5W
Mr. Whitehead

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the future Council of Europe convention on the protection of data will be open for signature; and whether Her Majesty's Government intend to sign and ratify it.

Mr. Raison

It is too soon to say. The Council is unlikely to reach agreement on the text of a draft convention before this summer at the earliest.

Mr. Whitehead

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the attitude of Her Majesty's Government to the suggestion contained in recommendation 890 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that the Committee of Ministers of the Council should consider the insertion of a provision on the protection of personal data into the European convention on human rights.

Mr. Raison

In considering this recommendation Her Majesty's Government will take into account developments in the Council of Europe in drawing up a draft convention on data protection as well as the issues raised by the Data Protection Committee's report, which we are now examining.