Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Geoffrey Cox and Afzal Khan

Thursday 16th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Afzal Khan (Manchester, Gorton) (Lab)]

2. What assessment he has made of the potential effect on the protection of human rights of the UK leaving the EU.

[The Attorney General (Mr Geoffrey Cox)]

The United Kingdom has a long tradition of ensuring that rights and liberties are protected domestically and of fulfilling its international human rights obligations. Our departure from the European Union will not change that.

[Afzal Khan]

There are real concerns about whether the UK will remain a signatory to the European convention on human rights as we leave the European Union. The convention has led to changes in UK law that protect victims of trafficking, tackle workplace discrimination and ensure the rights of disabled people. Can the Attorney General guarantee that this Government will never withdraw from the convention in any circumstance?

[The Attorney General]

I am grateful for this opportunity to reassert the Government’s complete commitment to our membership of and subscription to the European convention on human rights.