European Convention on Human Rights

HC Deb 20 December 2000 vol 360 cc202-3W

Ms Jenny Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues under Protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights he has assessed as being unacceptably open-ended and uncertain. [142854]

Mr. Hain

The Government's main concerns about Protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights are thatit applies to "any right set forth by law". It is not clear whether this includes international law as well as national law; the Protocol does not explicitly state that differential treatment which has an objective and reasonable justification is allowed; the right of states to take positive measures for the promotion of full and effective equality is covered only in the preamble and not in the body of the text.