asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will seek to renegotiate the European Convention of Human Rights so as to remove doubt as to its applicability to freedom of sexual orientation and freedom from discrimination as a result of such expression.

Not at this stage. The question of the applicability of the Convention in matters to which the hon. Member refers is currently being considered by the Commission in two cases involving Her Majesty's Government. I am sure my hon. Friend would agree that it would be inappropriate to seek to amend the Covention at least until these cases have been decided by the competent organs in Strasbourg.