HL Deb 12 June 2000 vol 613 cc189-90WA
Lord Russell-Johnston

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they were not represented at ministerial level at the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 11 May concerning Chechnya. [HL2651]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

Her Majesty's Government had intended to be represented at the meeting of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers held in Strasbourg from 10–11 May by Mr Keith Vaz, Minister of State at the FCO. He was fully briefed and all arrangements had been made. But urgent Parliamentary business meant that he regrettably had to cancel his visit. Given the circumstances, it was not possible to make alternative arrangements for UK ministerial representation at the meeting, and the UK was represented by our Ambassador Mr Andrew Carter.

Lord Russell-Johnston

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How often, since the election of 1997, they have been represented in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe by the Foreign Secretary; how often by junior Ministers; and how often unrepresented. [HL2650]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

The UK has not been represented by the Foreign Secretary at a meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers since the 1997 election. Over the same period the UK has been represented by a junior Minister at such meetings once, at the May 1999 meeting in Budapest, by the then Home Office Minister Lord Williams of Mostyn. At the other six such meetings since 1997 the UK has been unable to be represented by a Minister. The Prime Minister and Mr Lloyd, the then FCO Minister of State, attended the Council of Europe's Second Summit in autumn 1997.