§ Mr. Tilleyasked the Lord Privy Seal how many cases are currently awaking consideration by the European Court of Human Rights in which the United Kingdom is alleged to be in breach of human rights conventions; and into which categories these cases fall.
§ Sir Ian GilmourThere are at present four cases against the United Kingdom under consideration by the Court. They are:
- (a) Young, James and Webster. This case has become publicly known as "the closed shop case"; it is concerned with the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association laid down in article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
- (b) Campbell and Cosans. This case concerns corporal punishment in Scottish schools and has been referred to the Court under article 2 of protocol No. 1 to the convention, about "the right to education in conformity with parents' religious and philosophical convictions".
- (c) X versus the United Kingdom. This case concerns the detention of a patient in a mental health institution and raises issues under article 5(2) and 5(4) of the convention, about informing a person arrested promptly of the reasons and the charge, and about the need for speed in deciding the lawfulness of arrest or detention.
103 - (d) Dudgeon. This case involves the compatibility of the law on homosexuality in Northern Ireland with article 8 of the convention, about the right to respect for private and family life.