§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is appropriate for Inez McCormack to be a member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in the light of her speech to a labour movement conference on 27 February 1982 (as reported in Republican News of 4 March 1982). [HL531]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonAll appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission were made on merit, and with due regard for the Secretary of State's duty under s.68(3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to ensure that the commissioners, as a group, are representative of the community of Northern Ireland.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission gave advice to the Government of the Irish Republic about the composition of that country's Human Rights Commission; and, if so, what status that advice had. [HL532].
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonI understand that the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission wrote to the Taoiseach on the subject of the Irish Human Rights Commission, but the status of this advice is a matter for the Irish Government. I am aware that Ms Inez McCormack was invited by the Irish Government to sit, in a personal capacity, on the Whitaker Selection Committee for the Irish Human Rights Commission.