| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Written Answers
Wednesday, 25th November 1998.
Culture Council, 17 November
Baroness Lockwood asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What was the outcome of the EU Culture Council on 17 November.[HL61]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: EU Ministers responsible for cultural and audiovisual issues met on 17 November 1998 in Brussels.
Ministers agreed to extend the funding programmes for the arts, Kaleidoscope, and for literature, Ariane, to 1999. From January 2000, a new single framework programme for culture, entitled Culture 2000, will replace the existing programmes, such as Kaleidoscope and Ariane, as well as Raphael, which covers heritage issues, and a range of other cultural actions. Culture 2000 will enable not only co-operation within traditional sectors, but also cross-sectoral co-operation to take place. Ministers agreed a Common Position, subject to final agreement by the Netherlands, which will now be considered by the European Parliament.
Ministers also adopted a Resolution highlighting the important role of public service broadcasting in the digital era, and discussed other issues, including cross-border fixed book price agreements, statistics concerning the audiovisual and related sectors, and the convergence of the telecommunications, media and information technology sectors.
Human Rights Act: Section 19
Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they intend to bring into force Section 19 of the Human Rights Act 1998, and in what form statements under that section on compatibility with the convention rights will be published.[HL62]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has made an order under the Human Rights Act bringing Section 19 into force on 24 November.
Statements under Section 19 will appear as a note on the face of each government Bill and in the explanatory notes for most Bills. This will enable anyone obtaining a copy of the Bill in paper or electronic form to see at once the statement.
There may be occasions when a Bill which has been amended at a late stage in the House into which it was first introduced cannot be accompanied by a statement when it is first printed in the second House. In these situations, a statement will be appended to the Bill by the time of Second Reading and the circumstances will be explained in a Written Answer.
The statements will be in the following form and will appear on the front page of each Bill:
- "European Convention on Human Rights
- Mr. Secretary ... has made the following statement under Section
19(1)(a) of the Human Rights Act 1998:
- In my view the provisions of the ... Bill are compatible with the convention rights";
or
- "Mr. Secretary ... has made the following statement under Section 19(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 1998:
- I am unable to make a statement that in my view the provisions of the ... Bill are compatible with the convention rights, but the Government nevertheless wish the House to proceed with the ... Bill".
- "European Convention on Human Rights
- Section 19 of the Human Rights Act 1998 requires the Minister in charge of a Bill in either House of Parliament to make a statement about the compatibility of the provisions of the Bill with the convention rights (as defined by Section 1 of that Act). On [date] the Secretary of State for ... made the following statement before Second Reading of this Bill in the House of [Commons] [Lords]:
- In my view the provisions of the ... Bill are compatible with the Convention rights".
or
- "I am unable to make a statement that in my view the provisions of the ... Bill are compatible with the Convention rights but the Government nevertheless wishes the House to proceed with the ... Bill".
Abuse of Trust: Working Group
Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will report on the conclusions reached by the interdepartmental working group on preventing unsuitable people from working with children and abuse of trust on the need to protect vulnerable 16 and 17 year-olds from sexual advances by those in authority over them.[HL63]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The working group was asked to prioritise its work on abuse of trust. We have today placed a copy of its interim report in the Library.
The working group recommend a limited criminal offence to protect boys and girls of 16 and 17 from sexual advances by those in authority over them in specific circumstances. The circumstances would include: young persons compulsorily detained; looked after by the local authority (whether in foster care, residential care, or semi-independent accommodation); receiving health and/or social care in a residential setting (including hospital); and receiving full time education. We accept this recommendation. As announced yesterday, we will bring forward proposals to implement it at the same time as we give Parliament an opportunity to vote on equalising the age of consent for boys and girls this session.
The working group also recommend a government initiative to strengthen codes of conduct generally to protect young people from those in positions of authority over them. They are taking this forward as a matter of priority. The first step is a seminar involving outside organisations on 30 November, and work will continue on this throughout next year.
| Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |