HC Deb 09 March 1998 vol 308 cc14-5
33. Mr. Corbyn

If she will examine the case for establishing a human rights Select Committee. [31438]

The President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mrs. Ann Taylor)

The White Paper "Rights Brought Home" said that the Government favoured the establishment of a new parliamentary Committee with functions relating to human rights. We intend to take into account what is said during the passage of the Human Rights Bill before deciding what form of parliamentary Committee to recommend to the House.

Mr. Corbyn

Is my right hon. Friend prepared to meet a group of hon. Members who take a particular interest in human rights issues to discuss how that Committee might be set up? Will she recognise that, as human rights are now at the forefront of the Government's foreign policy, it is quite difficult for the Foreign Affairs Committee to deal with human rights issues around the world as well as British foreign policy interests? Does she agree that we would be better off if we did what many other Parliaments do and had a separate, dedicated human rights committee that can take up and investigate human rights issues in the world and try to bring them to the attention of the British Parliament and, obviously, the Government?

Mrs. Taylor

I think that my hon. Friend anticipates some of the discussions that will take place in Committee on the Human Rights Bill. I am always available to meet hon. Members who wish to speak to me about these issues, but we should judge the timing of any such meeting by what is said in Committee on the Human Rights Bill.

Mr. Simon Hughes

I thank the President of the Council for her answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) and join in pursuing his request. Is she as convinced as I am that it would do a great service to the House and to Parliament if we were seen to use the best experiences of other Parliaments to set up a body, potentially involving Members from both Houses, to examine human rights matters in this country and abroad? If the right hon. Lady is willing to come to a view after the Human Rights Bill has left Committee, that would be hugely welcome and could lead to a long overdue reform of the processes of this place.

Mrs. Taylor

I said in my original reply that the White Paper states that we favour the establishment of a parliamentary Committee. However, we should not prejudge what form it might take or whether it might be a Joint Committee but should wait until the Human Rights Bill has left Committee. Those matters are all aspects of the discussion that we shall take into account, and, of course, we shall consult widely.