§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give effect to the recommenda-tion made in August 1993 by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that the United Kingdom should make a declaration, under Article 14(1) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, recognising the competence of the committee to receive and consider communications from individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of a violation by the United Kingdom of the rights set forth in the convention; and, if not, why not.
Earl FerrersThe United Kingdom has accepted the right of individual petition under the European Convention on Human Rights and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights since 1966.
The European system gives individuals access to a compensatory mechanism and it, therefore, affords a stronger form of redress than that under the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In addition, domestic legislation allows for compensation to be sought through industrial tribunals. The Government do not consider that there is a need for a further mechanism, but we will keep the position under review.