§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether consideration is being given to establishing a Human Rights Agency in Northern Ireland, which would bring together existing institutions such as the Parliamentary Commissioner, the Commissioner for Complaints, the Fair Employment Agency, the Police Complaints Board, the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights, and which could consider not only individual rights, but also rights and responsibilities of groups and communities.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Lyell)The Government have no plans for making changes in the institutional arrangements designed to protect human rights in Northern Ireland, but they keep them under review.
The Chairman of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights recently informed my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that the commission will be undertaking as a priority a major study to examine the adequacy and effectiveness of existing laws and institutions in securing freedom from discrimination and furthering equality of opportunity in Northern Ireland. The study would include the detailed examination of the provisions of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973, the legislation which established the offices of the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Commissioner for Complaints, and the Fair Employment Agency, as well as the relevant responsibilities of such bodies as the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and of the commission itself. The Government share the commission's commitment to further human rights in the interests of all the people of Northern Ireland. The Government therefore welcome and support the commission's decision to undertake the proposed study, and look forward to receiving its report on this subject.