Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Catherine McKinnell Excerpts
Tuesday 14th June 2016

(7 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Bad Boys bakers no doubt felt very privileged to be visited by the hon. Gentleman.

Catherine McKinnell Portrait Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North) (Lab)
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10. What progress he has made on proposals for reform of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Dominic Raab Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Dominic Raab)
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We will bring forward our proposals for a British Bill of Rights to replace the Human Rights Act. We have made good progress on the development of our plans, with input from practitioners, non-governmental organisations, academics and many others right across the UK. Our proposals will be announced in due course and we shall consult fully on them.

Catherine McKinnell Portrait Catherine McKinnell
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The Minister says that plans will be published in due course, but plans to repeal the Human Rights Act were announced in the Conservative manifestos in both 2010 and 2015 and in the Queen’s Speech in 2015 and 2016. Can he please explain why his Department has so far failed to publish any proposals or begin a consultation on those plans?

Dominic Raab Portrait Mr Raab
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I appreciate that the hon. Lady is eager to engage in a detailed, substantive debate on human rights. Distinguished people in the Opposition, from Lord Irvine through to the current shadow Justice Secretary, have talked about the defects in the Human Rights Act. They have made compelling points and we intend to act on them. I look forward to debating the matter with the hon. Lady in due course.