Committees

Enforcing Human Rights

Inquiry

Human rights have been central to the UK constitution and its legal system throughout its history.

The following section of Magna Carta remains in force today, and can be found on the Government’s legislation website.

“We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.”

For rights to be effective they have to be capable of being enforced. For that enforcement,
it is essential to have:

  • adequate access to legal information, advice and assistance for everyone at all
    income levels and in all areas of the country
  • a robustly independent judiciary
  • a robustly independent legal profession
  • a strong Equality and Human Rights Commission, held accountable for its work, and strong National Human Rights Institutions in the devolved administrations, similarly held accountable
  • a culture which understands the concept of the rule of law, respects human rights and accepts that they will be enforced and which is supported by the Government

Government response published

Reports, special reports and government responses

View all reports and responses
10th Report - Enforcing Human Rights
Inquiry Enforcing Human Rights
Open PDF
Opens in new window
Open HTML
Opens in new window
HC 669 / HL 171
Report
Response to this report
Government response to the Enforcing Rights Report, dated 13 September
Open web page
Opens in new window
Government Response

Oral evidence transcripts

View all oral evidence transcripts
7 March 2018
Inquiry Enforcing Human Rights
Witnesses Sara Ryan and Richard Huggins, and Louise and Richard Rowland; Deborah Coles, Director, INQUEST, Katie Gollop QC, Barrister, Serjeants’ Inn Chambers, and Merry Varney, Partner, Leigh Day (at 4.20pm).
Open PDF
265KB
Open HTML
201KB
Oral Evidence
2 May 2018
Inquiry Enforcing Human Rights
Witnesses David Isaac CBE, Chair, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Judith Robertson, Chair, Scottish Human Rights Commission, and Dr David Russell, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
Open PDF
233KB
Open HTML
94KB
Oral Evidence
23 May 2018
Inquiry Enforcing Human Rights
Witnesses Rt Hon David Gauke MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Open PDF
171KB
Open HTML
77KB
Oral Evidence

Written evidence

View all written evidence
British Institute of Human Rights (AET0013)
Open PDF
490KB
Open HTML
235KB
Equality and Human Rights Commission (AET0051)
Open PDF
58KB
Open HTML
7KB
Middlesex University (AET0050)
Open PDF
263KB
Open HTML
268KB

Other publications

Government Responses
The Government has undertaken to respond to most committee reports within two months, although there are exceptions to this rule.
1 published
Correspondence
Committees exchange letters with government departments and others, often to request information or follow up on recommendations.
2 published

Contact us

The Committee is unable to look into individual cases

  • Email: jchr@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 0207 219 2793 (general enquiries) | 020 7219 8430 (media enquiries)
  • Address: Joint Committee on Human Rights, Houses of Parliament. London. SW1A 0AA