The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not made a formal assessment of the application of the Human Rights Act 1998 to those who work and live on Ascension Island. It is a matter for the courts of St. Helena and dependencies to determine (under the English Law (Application) Ordinance and/or St. Helena Law (Application) Ordinance) whether UK Acts of Parliament should apply in these jurisdictions. However, the UK has extended the European Convention on Human Rights and the Right of Individual Petition to St. Helena and dependencies.
There are no plans for a ministerial visit to Ascension Island at present.
The programme of information and education about the benefits of participation in the democratic process is ongoing. The Governor held open public meetings to discuss governance and democracy issues in May and September. Public consultation, including an open meeting in May, has taken place on new draft entry control and harbours legislation. Public consultation has also taken place during 2007 on taxation reform, for which consultation papers were published and circulated. The Governor and the Ascension Island Administrator have consulted the Ascension Island Advisory Group on a number of issues, including policy on property and businesses.