Impact of Human Rights Act reforms on Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales examined
9 May 2022
The Joint Committee on Human Rights continues its inquiry into Human Rights Act reform on Wednesday 11 May when it takes evidence from witnesses including the Equality and Human Rights Commissions, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Scottish Human Rights Commission.
- Parliament TV: Watch the session live
- Inquiry: Human Rights Act Reform
- Joint Committee on Human Rights
Purpose of the session
The Government has committed to reforming the Human Rights Act, including a proposal to create a Bill of Rights which may include strengthened protections for free speech and the right to trial by jury. The recent consultation on its proposals noted that there may be a case for reforms to apply differently in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland given the “different interests, histories and legal traditions of all parts of the UK”.
The evidence session will examine the role of the Human Rights Act in the four nations of the UK and the likely impact of the Government’s proposed reforms on the devolution settlements.
Witness schedule
Wednesday 11 May 2022
From 3pm
Panel One
- Baroness Falkner of Margravine – Chair, Equality and Human Rights Commission
- Alyson Kilpatrick – Chief Commissioner, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
- Barbara Bolton – Head of Legal and Policy, Scottish Human Rights Commission
Panel Two
- Professor Aileen McHarg – Professor of Public Law and Human Rights, Durham Law School
- Charles Whitmore – Research Associate, Wales Governance Centre and Wales Council for Voluntary Action
- Brian Gormally – Director, Committee on the Administration of Justice
Further information
Image: CCO