117. In reply, CiviJ controversial never served. ProtecUm the representative said that the question of converting the from a military to a civilian institution was a very The sentences referred to by members of the Committee were one. of children 170. With reference to that issue, provided with information regarding employment of minors. members of the Committee wished to be the law and practice relating to the 119. In reply, the representative stated that the age of legal majority been set at 18 but was 16 for employment purposes. Some forms of work forbidden for persons below the age of 18. Administrative legislation been adopted forbidding the employment of minor6 in occupations liable interfere with their general education. tS Of Dv t0 had were had to &QQ&&3E 180, In connection with that issue, members of the Committee asked the representative of the State party to comment on the accomplishments to date of the relevant Autonomous Communities in their efforts to integrate the gypsy minority and i:bout any continuing difficulties being faced in that regard. They also wished to knou. whether changes could be envisaged to the existing structure of the Spanish State in response to the claims of the Basque minority; whether the various languages other than Spanish could also be used in the courts: and what measures had been taken to preserve gypsy culture and to encourage the use of their language. 181. In reply, the representative said that there had been a long history of harmonious coexistence among the various ethnic groups in Spain. The Ministry for Social Affairs had had housing built for the gypsy minority and had been instrumental in setting up an interministerial group with the task of encouraging the adoption of measures to improve their integration and The Autonomous Communities had also adopted social and other development, legislation which made special provisions for gypsies. Article 2 of the Constitution provided that “The Constitution is bnsed on the indissoluble unity of the Spanish Nation, the commonand indivisible country of all If a party standing for self-determination was ever voted into Spaniards“. power by a majority of Basque electors, that would be the time to consider the Spanish and the local language were the official consequences of such a vote. languages of the Autonomous Communities nnd the official gasette of each community was published in both languages. The local language was used in the courts if it was understdod by all those present. Thero was no gypsy language as such in Spain but only some gypsy words in Spanish slang. Tlie Government was making all possible efforts to respect gypsy customs and culture. v182. Members of the Committee expressed satisfaction with tipain’s informative report and thanked the Stato party’s delegation for Qngaging in a constructive and fruitful dialogue with the Committeer which had provided an opportunity to obsorve at first hand the progress of democratic Spain. The steady improvement in the human rights situation in Spain, psrticularly through the -44-