European Convention on Human Rights

HL Deb 03 May 2000 vol 612 c176WA

Lord Cope of Berkeley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 13 April (H.L. Deb., col. 281), whether they regard the European Convention on Human Rights as legally obscure. [HL2104]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

No. the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has a long tradition of interpreting and clarifying the European Convention on Human Rights.

Looking to the future, however, this Government believe that a well drafted Charter of Rights could make a valuable contribution to Europe's human rights culture by consolidating in one place fundamental rights from the ECHR and the EU/EC Treaties and setting them out clearly for the benefit of citizens and administrators alike.