§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress is being made with the drafting of a Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights, dealing with the rights of minorities, as agreed by the Council of Europe with a target date of 31 December 1994.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)The Council of Europe Summit of October 1993 instructed the Committee of Ministers to draft a framework convention to help assure the protection of national minorities; and to begin work on drafting a protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights in the cultural field by provisions guaranteeing individual rights, in particular for persons belonging to national minorities.
30WAThe deadlines are 30 June 1994 for the framework convention and 31 December 1994 for the draft protocol to the European Convention. Work on the two instruments is proceeding in parallel, but with the framework convention receiving priority in view of the shorter deadline. The United Kingdom is contributing fully to the work.