Chief Commissioner Responds to UK Bill of Rights Report

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Chief Commissioner has responded to the publication of the UK Commission on a Bill of Rights Report – A UK Bill of Rights? - The Choice Before Us.
Chief Commissioner’ Professor Michael O’Flaherty’ said:
‘This is a complex report which considers many options for the protection of human rights in the UK. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is reviewing the report with interest. We welcome the statement in the report that it ‘does not wish its conclusions to be interpreted or used in such a way as to interfere in’ or delay’ the separate Northern Ireland Bill of Rights process’.
We note the UK Commission has said that ‘it is a matter of regret that the devolved administration in Northern Ireland did not nominate Advisory Panel members’ as occurred in Scotland and in Wales. It will be recalled that the NIHRC has repeatedly drawn attention of the Office of the First and deputy First Minister to this gap. We will now be considering today’s report in detail.’
ENDS
Further information:
For further information please contact Claire Martin’ Communications Worker: (028) 9024 3987.
Notes to editors
1. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is an independent statutory body first proposed in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement (1998) and established in 1999 by the Northern Ireland Act (1998). It is answerable to Parliament at Westminster.
2. The UK Commission on a Bill of Rights report can be found here.