§ Q44. Mr. Beithasked the Prime Minister on what grounds Her Majesty's Government are defending a case before the European Commission on Human Rights relating to the nationalisation of the aircraft and shipbuilding industries.
§ The Prime MinisterUnder the Commission's rules of procedure, all proceedings before it, including all pleadings, are confidential. The Government will continue to observe this rule. Broadly, we are contesting the applications made to the Commission because we do not accept that the compensation arrangements under the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 involved any breach of the United Kingdom's legal obligations under the human rights convention, however objectionable its terms were on other grounds.