§ Lord Bethellasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what date Sir John Freeland was most recently appointed as a judge to the European Court of Human Rights; on what date he relinquished that appointment; and whether his duties concerned exclusively the case Matthews v. United Kingdom. [HL1928]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanSir John Freeland was first elected as the member of the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the United Kingdom on 23 April 1991. He was re-elected on 4 February 1992 and served in that capacity until all the judges of that court relinquished office upon the entry into force of Protocol 11 to the European Convention on Human Rights on 1 November 1998.
On that date, the newly elected Court of Human Rights took office, on which the judge elected in respect of the United Kingdom is Sir Nicolas 13ratza. However, since Sir Nicolas had previously taken part, as a member of the Commission of Human Rights, in the case of Matthews v. United Kingdom, he withdrew from the Court for this case. Sir John Freeland was on 9 October 1998 nominated as judge ad hoc.