Human Rights Commission (Hansard, 26 October 1998)

§ Mr. McNamara
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information she has received from the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning the introduction of legislation in the Republic to fulfil the equality and human rights issues of the Good Friday Agreement. [55629]

§ Mr. Paul Murphy
The Irish Government have confirmed that they will be introducing legislation to establish a Human Rights Commission with the aim of setting up the Commission in February 1999. The Framework Convention on National Minorities is expected to be ratified by Christmas. Work on the compatibility with the ECHR is being conducted by an All-Party Oireachtas Committee.

§ Mr. McNamara
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations from Irish Americans she received concerning the power of the34W proposed Human Rights Commission to initiate investigations and compel the attendance of witnesses; and in which cities and from which groups. [55630]

§ Mr. Paul Murphy
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recently returned from a tour of 11 cities in the US. The focus of the tour was to promote inward investment in Northern Ireland; the powers of the proposed Human Rights Commission were not raised.

§ Mr. McNamara
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the UN High Commission on Human Rights on the equality and human rights provisions of the Northern Ireland Bill; to what extent the Commission expressed its view that the provisions(a) met the criteria and (b) fell short of the criteria of the Principles on the Status of National Institutions (The Paris Principles) as extended by subsequent United Nations' workshops. [55633]

§ Mr. Paul Murphy
Officials from the Northern Ireland Office have held one meeting with officials from the UN High Commission on Human Rights as part of the Government's consultations with interested organisations and political parties on the human rights provisions of the Northern Ireland Bill. These consultations were exploratory and it would not be appropriate for me to go into detail about what was discussed.

§ Mr. McNamara
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the Human Rights Directorate of the Council of Europe concerning the contents of the human rights and equality provisions of the Northern Ireland Bill, indicating those areas which the Directorate asked to be strengthened to enable the Human Rights Commission to initiate inquiries and compel the attendance of witnesses. [55634]

§ Mr. Paul Murphy
I have not had any discussions with the Council of Europe about the human rights and equality provisions of the Northern Ireland Bill. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a letter dated 19 October from the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The letter does not specifically ask for any of the parts of the Bill to be strengthened.