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Human Rights: Protection of Rights and Freedoms in the UK

The Human Rights Act and the devolution settlements

  • 3 things to know
  • Components 2 and 3

Overview

Why the Act is harder to repeal in practice than an ordinary statute: the Scotland Act and Northern Ireland Act put Convention rights beyond devolved competence, and the Belfast Agreement committed to them directly.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Why is the Human Rights Act 1998 described as entrenched within the devolutionary settlement?

Numbers

What limit does the Scotland Act 1998 place on the Scottish Parliament?

Numbers

What restriction does the Scotland Act 1998 place on Scottish Ministers?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Why is the Human Rights Act 1998 described as entrenched within the devolutionary settlement?

    Model answer

    The devolution statutes make Convention rights a limit on the powers of the devolved institutions. Repeal of the Act would therefore require amendment of the devolutionary settlement as well.

  2. 2

    What limit does the Scotland Act 1998 place on the Scottish Parliament?

    Model answer

    Section 29 of the Scotland Act 1998 makes incompatible legislation of the Scottish Parliament not law at all. A court can therefore strike down devolved legislation in Scotland.

  3. 3

    What restriction does the Scotland Act 1998 place on Scottish Ministers?

    Model answer

    Section 57 of the Scotland Act 1998 denies Scottish Ministers any power to act incompatibly with Convention rights. An act outside that power is invalid rather than merely unlawful.

  4. 4

    What does the Northern Ireland Act 1998 say about Assembly legislation and Convention rights?

    Model answer

    Section 6 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 provides that Assembly legislation incompatible with Convention rights is not law. Section 24 places the same limit on Northern Ireland ministers and departments.

  5. 5

    What commitment on rights did the Belfast Agreement of 1998 contain?

    Model answer

    The Belfast Agreement committed the United Kingdom to incorporate the Convention into the law of Northern Ireland. The Agreement also promised direct access to the courts and remedies for any breach.

  6. 6

    Which body advises on human rights in Northern Ireland?

    Model answer

    The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was created by the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Commission advises on legislation and may itself bring human rights proceedings.

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