Commission comments on Human Rights Act review

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has commented on the UK Government’s announcement of a review of the Human Rights Act.

“The Human Rights Act is an important law that protects the human rights established in the European Convention on Human Rights. It has helped bring these rights closer to home in people's lives and enabled people to rely on their Convention rights in Scottish courts. The Human Rights Act also provides a solid and effective foundation for the progressive work currently taking place in Scotland to incorporate a wider range of international human rights directly into our domestic law.

“This latest UK government review must therefore take account of this and other devolved contexts. It must also listen to and engage with widespread support in Scotland for stronger human rights laws that provide greater protections for people's rights. Crucially, the review must start from the core principle of ensuring no regression from the current levels of legal protection that exist for people’s rights.”

In December 2019, the Commission also commented on UK Government plans for a Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission.

ENDS