Select committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Conclusion 16
Fourth Report - Cross-border co-operation on policing, security and criminal justice after Brexit
Published 28 Apr 2021
Paragraph 115
Addressed to Northern Ireland Executive; Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Cross-border co-operation on policing, security and criminal justice after Brexit All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The Committee supports fully the European Convention on Human Rights. We welcome the Government’s assurance, stated at the dispatch box and to this Committee in November 2020 and in March 2021, that it remains “absolutely committed” to the European Convention on Human Rights. The Trade and Co- operation Agreement is based on the UK continuing to apply the ECHR. The Government’s ongoing application of the ECHR is important in facilitating continued data sharing and effective extradition arrangements between the UK and Ireland. Robust human rights and legal safeguards both for accused persons and for victims of crimes are critical to providing a base from which effective and efficient co-operation can be facilitated. There is no room for doubt about the UK’s commitment to the ECHR or to its domestic effect. We welcome the fact that the Government will continue to uphold the European Convention on Human Rights in full, as successive Governments have done since 1950, when the UK was one of its founding signatories.
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Fourth Report - Cross-border co-operation on policing, security and criminal justice after Brexit (HC 766), paragraph 115, 28 April 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 5 July 2021 (deadline 28 June 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government response sets out how the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) arrangements operate and says it will "take steps to address any issues should they arise", while giving a mostly non-committal reply on several recommendations.
- On the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, the government says it was convened on 24 June 2021 in Dublin, and "It was agreed that the next BIIGC should take place in London in November."
- On inviting Northern Ireland Executive representatives to the Specialised Committee, the government says it values their perspective, but "final discretion in any specific instance as regards attendance would be held by the UK co-chair".
- On a review of extradition after two years, the response does not commit to one. It says it will "continue to work closely" with partners to monitor the arrangements and "take steps to address any issues should they arise".
- On a Northern Ireland centre of excellence, the government says it "looks forward to reviewing any proposed plans" from the PSNI, the Department of Justice and other agencies.