§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 9 November (WA 165) concerning the annual expenditure of the European Court of Human Rights, why the costs were given in euros rather than in pounds sterling; whether they consider that answers given in the Official Report should be immediately clear to Members of both Houses of Parliament and the British public; and whether their answer was in accorandance with that principle. [HL4729]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalThe estimated annual expenditure for the European Court of Human Rights was given in euros rather than pounds sterling because the Council of Europe budget is determined in euros. Answers given in theOfficial Report should of course be as clear as possible to Members of both Houses of Parliament and the British public. The answers should also be as accurate as possible and due to fluctuations in exchange rates it is more accurate to state the estimate of annual expenditure for the European Court of Human Rights in euros rather than in pounds sterling.