§ 29. Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Solicitor-General how many legal proceedings have been initiated under the Human Rights Act 1998. [142367]
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The Solicitor-GeneralIssues may be raised under the Human Rights Act in any legal proceedings. The Lord Chancellor's Department has introduced arrangements to survey cases through data collection systems in the Magistrates courts and the Courts Service. The results of the first quarter will be available in February. However I understand that there has been no overall increase in the number of civil and criminal cases following the Act's entry in force. In very many cases, human rights points are simply raised alongside other claims.