Clause 7 - Guidance for criminal justice organisations on human rights standards
Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Mr David Trimble (Upper Bann, UUP)
I support the hon. Gentleman's comments, which were apposite. The phrase
''international human rights standards relevant to the criminal justice system''
is far too vague. The problem is not only with the word ''international'' but with the whole phrase.
The Minister referred to the existence of a number of treaties, some of which may be binding on the United Kingdom. However, other things are hawked around as though they were international human rights standards. The phrase ''international human rights standards'' is too broad and does not necessarily relate only to those treaties to which the United Kingdom is party and which are binding on us. Other agreements exist, some of which do not involve the United Kingdom and may not even be treaties in the proper sense, but are referred to by human rights ''activists'' as though they were international human rights standards. We cannot expect all those involved in the administration of the legal system to have a detailed knowledge of everything to which reference is made, some of which may be spurious and some of which may be, as the hon. Member for Beaconsfield said, nebulous.