§ 34. Mr. GreenwayTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the additional sums his Department will need to implement his proposals to incorporate the European convention on human rights into domestic law. [7534]
§ Mr. HoonWork is already in progress within the Lord Chancellor's Department to assess the likely practical impact of incorporation of the European convention on the work of the courts, the provision of legal aid and the need for judicial training. However, a financial assessment of the proposals has not yet been completed.
§ Mr. GreenwayHow do the Government intend to protect judges from political interference and to protect Parliament from the judges when the convention is enshrined in United Kingdom law?
§ Mr. HoonThe judges will be protected from political interference in the way that they have always been protected from such interference under our system: selection decisions will be based on choosing the most ably qualified candidate for the position. That has always been the approach in our system, and it will continue. We shall incorporate the convention, on which work is still under way, in a manner that is entirely consistent with the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty.
§ Mr. David HeathWill the Minister confirm that, although the Gracious Speech says that the main provisions of the European convention will be 687 incorporated, the Government intend to incorporate the whole convention? If there are to be exceptions, will the Minister tell us what they are and why they will exist?
§ Mr. HoonThe Government intend to incorporate all the provisions of the convention. The words in the Gracious Speech refer to those protocols that have not yet come into force.