Lord Grenfellasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to ensure that Gibraltarians can vote in the 2004 elections to the European Parliament. [HL1696]
§ The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)We unequivocally accept the obligation to give effect to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case ofMatthews v UK and we are committed to extending the 88WA European franchise in time for the 2004 elections to the European Parliament. To this end, we will be seeking legislative time in order to bring in the necessary domestic legislation. We will, of course, consult the Government of Gibraltar on the legislative and practical details.