Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs written question – answered at on 13 May 2009.
Robert Walter
Conservative, North Dorset
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what directions he gave to the UK Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe on voting in the meeting of Ministers' Deputies on the transmission to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe of the list of candidates for the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Caroline Flint
Minister of State (Europe)
holding answer
In line with our objectives on international institutional reform we have consistently supported a robust, fair and open selection process for the next Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The UK Permanent Representative was therefore instructed to support the shortlisting of candidates on the basis of a rigorous assessment against the agreed list of criteria and competences for the post.
An international organisation of member states (45 at the time of writing) in the European region; not to be confused with the Council of the European Union, nor the European Council.
Founded on 5 May, 1949 by the Treaty of London, and currently seated in Strasbourg, membership is open to all European states which accept the princple of the rule of law and guarantee fundamental human rights and freedoms to their citizens. In 1950, this body created the European Convention on Human Rights, which laid out the foundation principles and basis on which the European Court of Human Rights stands.
Today, its primary activities include charters on a range of human rights, legal affairs, social cohesion policies, and focused working groups and charters on violence, democracy, and a range of other areas.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Parliamentary questions are conventionally answered within seven days of being lodged, or on a particular day for so-called "Named Day" questions. (Source: House of Commons Information Office, Factsheet P1, "Parliamentary Questions")
A holding answer may be issued by a Minister if, for whatever reason, a substantive or final answer to the question cannot be provided in the time available.
