Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

My honourable friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland (David Hanson) has made the following Ministerial Statement. I have today published a consultation paper on the Government's proposals for the powers of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Government believe strongly in the importance of human rights and are committed to ensuring that the commission has the right powers to enable it to carry out its duties effectively. The consultation paper sets out the Government's conclusions on each of the recommendations put forward by the commission in its own review of its powers. In total, the commission has recommended 29   amendments to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, although following a House of Lords ruling the commission withdrew eight of the recommendations. In assessing these recommendations, the Government have concluded that they are satisfied that the Northern Ireland Act 1998 already broadly provides the commission with the right powers to carry out its duties efficiently. In a number of cases, we agree with the recommendations put forward but believe that these changes do not require any additional legislative provision but should be made administratively, in co-operation with the commission. However in two important areas—namely, the right of access to places of detention and the power to compel evidence and witnesses—we agree that it is right to amend the Northern Ireland Act 1998 in order to grant the commission the necessary powers to allow it to fulfil its existing functions properly. While the Government believe that it is right for the commission to be granted these powers, we also believe that there must be proper safeguards in place to ensure that they are used appropriately. The consultation, which will run until 8 February 2006, invites views on all aspects of the paper, but I have asked specifically for views on how these two powers should be implemented and how we can make sure that the right safeguards are in place.