§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what (a) general topics and (b) Bills they have sought advice of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; what was that advice; and in what ways it was acted upon. [HL4551]
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)The Northern Ireland Act 1998 required the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to advise the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the scope for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. The consultation is still ongoing, and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will send the final advice to the Secretary of State in 2003.
Section 69(2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 required the commission to make recommendations to the Secretary of State as to the commission's effectiveness within two years of its inception. The Secretary of State received the commission's recommendations in March 2001, and has recently published, for consultation, the Government's response to the review document. Replies to the consultation document are expected in mid-August, at which time the Government will consider the replies received prior to issuing a response to the commission.
The Government have also referred two Bills to the commission for comment, the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill and the Terrorism Bill. The commission offered advice to the Government on both those Bills. The Government have considered carefully the advice they have received from the commission in framing their policies and legislation. The advice given by the commission is a matter for the commission to make public, if it wishess.