HL Deb 26 October 2004 vol 665 cc113-4WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Times (13 October) is accurate in reporting that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has delayed publication of the 2004 Human Rights Report to "dilute criticism of Britain's allies on the war on terror", and, if not, what is the reason for the delay. [HL4477]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not delayed publication of the Annual Report on Human Rights to dilute criticism of any country. The annual report was originally due to be launched on 16 September. Owing to the tragic events in Beslan, Russia, earlier that month, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary reconsidered the timing of the launch. He believed that it was the time to focus on the grief and sense of loss of the Russian people as a whole and on the total culpability of the terrorists responsible for this atrocity. The Foreign Secretary also wanted to consider how best to reflect the tragedy in Beslan in the text of the annual report. The Foreign Secretary will launch the annual report on Human Rights on 10 November.