Joint Committee on Human Rights Legislative scrutiny priorities 2015-16

• Joint Committee on Human Rights

This includes common law fundamental rights and liberties, the Convention rights protected by the Human Rights Act 1998 and the human rights contained in other international obligations assumed by the UK such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

The Committee's scrutiny of Bills for compatibility with the requirements of human rights law will continue to include consideration of whether the Bill presents an opportunity to enhance human rights in the UK.

The Committee actively encourages input from the public into its legislative scrutiny work.

Policing and Extremism

The Committee considers that three proposed Bills in the Government's Legislative Programme for 2015-16 are likely to raise particularly significant human rights issues:

• Extremism Bill
• Investigatory Powers Bill
• Policing and Criminal Justice Bill

The Committee proposes to focus its legislative scrutiny work principally on these three Bills during the current parliamentary Session.  However, neither of the Bills has yet been introduced.

Introduced Bills

The Committee considers that some significant human rights issues may also arise in relation to the following Bills which have already been introduced:

• Armed Forces Bill
• Housing and Planning Bill
• Immigration Bill
• Trade Union Bill
• Welfare Reform and Work Bill

Proposed Bills

The Committee also considers that some significant human rights issues may arise in relation to the following proposed Bills which have not yet been introduced:

• Northern Ireland (Stormont House Agreement) Bill
• Votes for Life Bill

Written submissions

Submissions of no more than 1,500 words are invited from interested groups and individuals on:

• Any significant human rights issues raised or likely to be raised by each of the Bills identified above
• Whether the Bills could do more to enhance the protection of human rights

Short submissions drawing the Committee's attention to human rights issues raised by any other Bills or draft Bills in the Government's legislative programme are also welcome.

Submissions can be sent via the legislative scrutiny pages for each bill

• Joint Committee on Human Rights: Legislative Scrutiny

Please Note

Please bear in mind that the Committee is not able to investigate individual cases. You should be careful not to comment on matters currently before a court of law, or matters in respect of which court proceedings are imminent. If you anticipate such issues arising, you should discuss with the clerk of the committee how this might affect your submission.

Further information

• Guidance: written submissions
• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

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