Care Leaders Call for Protection of Human Rights

The Relatives & Residents Association has co-signed a letter calling on the Government to provide pre-legislative scrutiny of the proposed Bill of Rights.

The proposals set out in the Bill of Rights are of ‘supreme constitutional significance and have the potential to impact on the rights of individuals for many years to come.’ Ministers of the devolved nations have highlighted how the Government’s proposals to replace the Human Rights Act threaten to undermine the devolution settlement.

Letter signatories urge the Government to respect the principles of our parliamentary democracy and subject the proposed Bill of Rights to the pre-legislative scrutiny it clearly requires.

The letter to the Justice Secretary, signed by over 150 groups, warned that the proposal to repeal and replace the Human Rights Act is a major constitutional step requiring careful and robust consideration. It warned of the impact on the rights of individuals should this process be rushed.

R&RA’s Director, Helen Wildbore, said:
“It is incredibly concerning that the Government is seeking to weaken human rights protections so vital to older people needing care. That they are not even willing to submit proposals of such vast constitutional significance to proper Parliamentary review should raise alarm bells for us all. The Human Rights Act is the bedrock of the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, and care regulation and practice. Any changes must be properly scrutinised to ensure protection of fundamental rights for all who rely on the care system.”

The letter and full list of signatories is available here.