Supreme Court Dillon Judgment

Lord Carlile of Berriew Excerpts

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Carlile of Berriew (CB)]

Does the Minister agree that the Supreme Court judgment has not affected the intended role of Article 2 of the Windsor Framework as the lodestar of human rights considerations in Northern Ireland? Does she agree that its provisions will still be relevant to the exercise of discretion, for example in the public interest test in decisions concerning prosecutions, alongside considered provisions for veterans? Will she be kind enough to welcome the forthcoming consideration of Article 2 by the House’s Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee, which contains many very distinguished Northern Ireland politicians and which I have the privilege to chair?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, that is the easiest question of the day: of course I welcome the noble Lord’s report. I thoroughly enjoy our conversations about the work of his committee, which I argue is one of the more important committees at the moment—but then I would say that. The Government remain committed to Article 2 of the Windsor Framework. The Supreme Court’s judgment has not affected this commitment and has provided important clarity on how Article 2 should be interpreted and applied in future. It has confirmed the Government’s long-standing position that the rights protected by Article 2 of the Windsor Framework are those concerned with the cessation of the sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland. However, given the length and complexity of the judgment, the Government and stakeholders will need the requisite time to digest its content, and I will need many briefings by KCs to understand it. We are happy to continue that conversation with the committee in due course.