RSI submits evidence to Human Rights Act reform consultation
8th March 2022
Today RSI submitted its response to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on ‘Human Rights Act Reform: A Modern Bill of Rights’.
RSI’s submission demonstrates four overarching points of concern with the current proposals:
- The proposals seek to remedy problems that are at best overstated, and at worst lacking supporting evidence;
- The nature and degree of human rights protection will be severely diminished if these proposals are implemented, with exacerbated consequences for already vulnerable or marginalised communities;
- The accountability gap that the proposals create would have negative systemic impacts on decision-making; and
- As a result of these issues, implementing these proposals will likely have implications for UK’s international reputation and relations with its current or potential allies.
RSI disagrees with the government that the Human Rights Act 1998 needs changing, and believes that the proposals set out in the consultation document would have negative consequences for human rights protection in the UK. RSI’s submission answers four questions:
- How can human rights laws best reflect different interests and traditions of all parts of the UK?
- How should the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the Human Rights Act 1998 be changed?
- Whether any new legislation should limit remedies available to claimants based on their prior conduct?
- What negative impacts may result from amending human rights laws?
For further information, see the full submission below.