Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Charlie Elphicke Excerpts
Tuesday 6th September 2016

(8 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Elizabeth Truss Portrait Elizabeth Truss
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I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question, and I remember with fondness our time together on the Justice Committee, where he had many good thoughts to put forward. We will be putting out our proposals in due course, which will discuss these issues in detail, but one of the important points is that we want the ultimate arbiter of those rights to be the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

Charlie Elphicke Portrait Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Con)
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Does the Secretary of State agree that one of the problems with the current set-up is that the code of rights includes many reservations and qualifications that the European Court does not embrace? A British Bill of Rights can ensure that there is proper balance and that the interests of justice are served.

Elizabeth Truss Portrait Elizabeth Truss
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My hon. Friend makes a very good point. It is absolutely the reason we want to pursue a British Bill of Rights to put that in place.