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Human Rights Act (1998, As of 2014)

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Human Rights Act (1998, As of 2014) Changes to legislation: There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Human Rights Act 1998. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) Human Rights Act 1998 1998 CHAPTER 42 An Act to give further effect to rights and freedoms guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights; to make provision with respect to holders of certain judicial offices who become judges of the European Court of Human Rights; and for connected purposes. [9th November 1998] Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:— Annotations: Extent Information E1 For the extent of this Act outside the U.K., see s. 22(6)(7) Modifications etc. (not altering text) C1 Act: certain functions of the Secretary of State transferred to the Lord Chancellor (26.11.2001) by S.I. 2001/3500, arts. 3, 4, Sch. 1 para. 5 C2 Act (except ss. 5, 10, 18, 19 and Sch. 4): Functions of the Lord Chancellor transferred to the Secretary of State, and all property, rights and liabilities to which the Lord Chancellor is entitled or subject to in connection with any such function transferred to the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (19.8.2003) by S.I. 2003/1887, art. 4, Sch. 1 Introduction 1 The Convention Rights. (1) In this Act “the Convention rights” means the rights and fundamental freedoms set out in— (a) Articles 2 to 12 and 14 of the Convention, (b) Articles 1 to 3 of the First Protocol, and (c) [F1Article 1 of the Thirteenth Protocol], 2 Human Rights Act 1998 (c. 42) Document Generated: 2014-10-23 Changes to legislation: There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Human Rights Act 1998. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) as read with Articles 16 to 18 of the Convention. (2) Those Articles are to have effect for the purposes of this Act subject to any designated derogation or reservation (as to which see sections 14 and 15). (3) The Articles are set out in Schedule 1. (4) The [F2Secretary of State] may by order make such amendments to this Act as he considers appropriate to reflect the effect, in relation to the United Kingdom, of a protocol. (5) In subsection (4) “protocol” means a protocol to the Convention— (a) which the United Kingdom has ratified; or (b) which the United Kingdom has signed with a view to ratification. (6) No amendment may be made by an order under subsection (4) so as to come into force before the protocol concerned is in force in relation to the United Kingdom. Annotations: Amendments (Textual) F1 Words in s. 1(1)(c) substituted (22.6.2004) by The Human Rights Act 1998 (Amendment) Order 2004 (S. I. 2004/1574), art. 2(1) F2 Words in s. 1 substituted (19.8.2003) by The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs Order 2003 (S. I. 2003/1887), art. 9, Sch. 2 para. 10(1) 2 Interpretation of Convention rights. (1) A court or tribunal determining a question which has arisen in connection with a Convention right must take into account any— (a) judgment, decision, declaration or advisory opinion of the European Court of Human Rights, (b) opinion of the Commission given in a report adopted under Article 31 of the Convention, (c) decision of the Commission in connection with Article 26 or 27(2) of the Convention, or (d) decision of the Committee of Ministers taken under Article 46 of the Convention, whenever made or given, so far as, in the opinion of the court or tribunal, it is relevant to the proceedings in which that question has arisen. (2) Evidence of any judgment, decision, declaration or opinion of which account may have to be taken under this section is to be given in proceedings before any court or tribunal in such manner as may be provided by rules. (3) In this section “rules” means rules of court or, in the case of proceedings before a tribunal, rules made for the purposes of this section— (a) by F3. [F4the Lord Chancellor or] the Secretary of State, in relation to any proceedings outside Scotland; (b) by the Secretary of State, in relation to proceedings in Scotland; or (c) by a Northern Ireland department, in relation to proceedings before a tribunal in Northern Ireland— Human Rights Act 1998 (c. 42) 3 Document Generated: 2014-10-23 Changes to legislation: There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Human Rights Act 1998. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) (i) which deals with transferred matters; and (ii) for which no rules made under paragraph (a) are in force. Annotations: Amendments (Textual) F3 Words in s. 2(3)(a) repealed (19.8.2003) by The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs Order 2003 (S. I. 2003/1887), art. 9, Sch. 2 para. 10(2) Modifications etc. (not altering text) C3 S. 2(3)(a): functions of the Secretary of State to be exercisable concurrently with the Lord Chancellor (12.1.2006) by The Transfer of Functions (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3429), art. 3(2) (with arts. 4, 5) Legislation 3 Interpretation of legislation. (1) So far as it is possible to do so, primary legislation and subordinate legislation must be read and given effect in a way which is compatible with the Convention rights. (2) This section— (a) applies to primary legislation and subordinate legislation whenever enacted; (b) does not affect the validity, continuing operation or enforcement of any incompatible primary legislation; and (c) does not affect the validity, continuing operation or enforcement of any incompatible subordinate legislation if (disregarding any possibility of revocation) primary legislation prevents removal of the incompatibility. 4 Declaration of incompatibility. (1) Subsection (2) applies in any proceedings in which a court determines whether a provision of primary legislation is compatible with a Convention right. (2) If the court is satisfied that the provision is incompatible with a Convention right, it may make a declaration of that incompatibility. (3) Subsection (4) applies in any proceedings in which a court determines whether a provision of subordinate legislation, made in the exercise of a power conferred by primary legislation, is compatible with a Convention right. (4) If the court is satisfied— (a) that the provision is incompatible with a Convention right, and (b) that (disregarding any possibility of revocation) the primary legislation concerned prevents removal of the incompatibility, it may make a declaration of that incompatibility. (5) In this section “court” means— [F5(a) the Supreme Court;] (b) the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council; (c) the [F6Court Martial Appeal Court] ; 4 Human Rights Act 1998 (c. 42) Document Generated: 2014-10-23 Changes to legislation: There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Human Rights Act 1998. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) (d) in Scotland, the High Court of Justiciary sitting otherwise than as a trial court or the Court of Session; (e) in England and Wales or Northern Ireland, the High Court or the Court of Appeal. [F7(f) the Court of Protection, in any matter being dealt with by the President of the Family Division, the Vice-Chancellor or a puisne judge of the High Court.] (6) A declaration under this section (“a declaration of incompatibility”)— (a) does not affect the validity, continuing operation or enforcement of the provision in respect of which it is given; and (b) is not binding on the parties to the proceedings in which it is made. Annotations: Amendments (Textual) F5 S. 4(5)(a) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 40, 148, Sch. 9 para. 66(2); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d) F6 Words in s. 4(5)(c) substituted (28.3.2009 for certain purposes and 31.10.2009 otherwise) by Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), ss. 378, 383, Sch. 16 para. 156; S.I. 2009/812, art. 3 (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2009/1059); S.I. 2009/1167, art. 4 5 Right of Crown to intervene. (1) Where a court is considering whether to make a declaration of incompatibility, the Crown is entitled to notice in accordance with rules of court. (2) In any case to which subsection (1) applies— (a) a Minister of the Crown (or a person nominated by him), (b) a member of the Scottish Executive, (c) a Northern Ireland Minister, (d) a Northern Ireland department, is entitled, on giving notice in accordance with rules of court, to be joined as a party to the proceedings. (3) Notice under subsection (2) may be given at any time during the proceedings. (4) A person who has been made a party to criminal proceedings (other than in Scotland) as the result of a notice under subsection (2) may, with leave, appeal to the [F8Supreme Court] against any declaration of incompatibility made in the proceedings.
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