§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he had made of the compatibility of Government legislation enacted in the 1997–98 parliamentary session with the Human Rights Act 1998; and if he will make a statement; [131383]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of declarations of incompatibility that will be made by the courts under the Human Rights Act 1998 (a) in the year from 2 October and (b) subsequently in each year; and if he will make a statement. [131385]
§ Mr. StrawThe Human Rights Act 1998 gives further effect in United Kingdom law to rights and freedoms in the European Convention on Human Rights. Successive Governments have sought to comply with the provisions of the Convention since 1951. Therefore we should not expect major changes to have to be made once the Human Rights Act is fully in force. Following its enactment, Departments have reviewed their legislation and procedures in the light of the Human Rights Act. Where changes have been judged appropriate, these have been made or are in hand.
§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he had made of the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on(a) total Government and (b) individual department's spending in (i) 2000–01, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2002–03. [131384]
181W
§ Mr. StrawI refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 23 May 2000,Official Report, column 401W.