§ Lord Brockwayasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, having waived their right to a hearing of the admissibility of an application by four Irish prisoners under the European Convention on Human Rights regarding restrictions, the Human Rights Commission is now available to mediate a friendly settlement; and whether this will be encouraged.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Elton)The Government informed the European Commission of Human Rights that they would not insist on deploying their arguments relating to the interpretation of Article 13 read either alone or together with any other Article of the European Convention on Human Rights at the admissibility stage. They made it clear, however, that they regarded those arguments as fully preserved so that they could be deployed during consideration of the merits of the complaints. This is understood by the commission. In the light of this, the commission has now formally declared the outstanding complaints in this case to be admissible. The Government will co-operate fully in the commission's investigation of them.
If proposals were to be transmitted to the Government by the commission under Article 28(b) of the European Convention on Human Rights, these would be considered by Ministers. But I must emphasise that the Government stand by the principles set out in the statement of 8th July by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.