27 October 2011
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown calls on Government to use the UK Chairmanship of the Council of Europe to undertake a thorough review of the working practices of the European Court of Human Rights which currently has a backlog of 166,000 cases.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (The Cotswolds) (Con): While my right hon. Friend is talking about the European Court of Human Rights, will he acknowledge that the Court currently has a backlog of approximately 166,000 cases? Is it not high time the Court underwent a thorough review of its working practices and competencies, and is not our chairmanship of the Council a good time to do that?
Mr Lidington: I completely agree with my hon. Friend. If the Court is to continue to be treated with respect, it is important for it to find a way of getting on top of that grotesque backlog of cases, which is in nobody’s interests. I will say more about that later.
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Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (The Cotswolds) (Con): While my right hon. Friend is talking about the European Court of Human Rights, will he acknowledge that the Court currently has a backlog of approximately 166,000 cases? Is it not high time the Court underwent a thorough review of its working practices and competencies, and is not our chairmanship of the Council a good time to do that?
Mr Lidington: I completely agree with my hon. Friend. If the Court is to continue to be treated with respect, it is important for it to find a way of getting on top of that grotesque backlog of cases, which is in nobody’s interests. I will say more about that later.
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