Members: Prosecutions

(asked on 23rd June 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to make an assessment for the implications for his policies of the debate that took place at the Council of Europe on 21 June 2021 on whether hon. Members should be prosecuted for statements made in exercise of their mandates.


Answered by
James Cleverly Portrait
James Cleverly
Home Secretary
This question was answered on 1st July 2021

The UK fully supports freedom of expression as a human right. We have a long history of promoting freedom of expression globally, including through our commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights. Freedom of expression is an essential quality of any functioning democracy. HMG is committed to continuing championing these values, and recognises the crucial work of the Council of Europe and in particular the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in this sphere, noting that the resolution and recommendations will go to the Committee of Ministers in due course for appropriate review.

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