§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he proposes to extend observance of human rights in(a) the Commonwealth and (b) elsewhere. [1835]
§ Peter HainThe Government will continue to promote human rights in bilateral and multilateral forums. Among other things, this will include continuing to campaign worldwide for the elimination of torture and the abolition of the death penalty and taking an active part in the forthcoming World Conference Against Racism. At the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Brisbane in October, the Government will try to ensure that the Commonwealth takes an even more active role in promoting human rights. A key element will be trying to expand the remit of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) so that it can recommend action where a Commonwealth member seriously or persistently violates human rights. Currently, CMAG comes into play only when an elected Commonwealth Government have been overthrown.