§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they invited the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to prepare a draft bill of rights or to offer advice; and whether they will accept advice from any group or individual on the topic. [HL736]
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)In accordance with the Good Friday Agreement, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland invited the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to "consult and advise on the scope for defining, in Westminster legislation, rights supplementary to those in the European Convention on Human Rights, to reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland, drawing as appropriate on international instruments and experience".
The commission published a consultation document on 4 September this year. The consultation period runs until 1 December. The Government are open to receiving views from any group or individual on the subject but would encourage comments to be directed, in the first instance, to the commission to help inform its final recommendations to the Government.