Council of Europe (UK Chairmanship)

Debate between Emma Reynolds and Mike Hancock

Thursday 27th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Emma Reynolds]

I am a great supporter of gender equality, but the selection process needs to be improved.

[Mr Mike Hancock]

For those of us who have had the privilege of being in the Council of Europe for any length of time, it is clear that it is not the process of selection by the Council of Europe that affects the calibre of judges but the pathetic selection process that goes on in member states after people have put their names forward. On most occasions, that leaves the Council of Europe having to pick the least worst of a bad bunch.

[Emma Reynolds]

I am sure that the Europe Minister has noted the hon. Gentleman’s concerns.

Any reform of the Court must begin by addressing the crippling backlog of cases before it; I understand that there are 150,000 cases and that number is increasing at a rate of 20,000 a year. I hope that at the end of the six months in which our Government have the chairmanship, the Opposition will be in a position to give them credit for pushing forward with these reforms. Indeed, the test of success for the Government is not only what they do in the six months when they are in charge, but whether they are able to inspire successive chairmanships of the Court and the Council to take on and continue their reforms.

Until now, I have been fairly consensual, but I am about to embark on a section of my speech that is perhaps not so consensual.