Rook Irwin Sweeney advises disabled peoples’ organisations on accessibility of Human Rights Act Reform Consultation

Rook Irwin Sweeney is acting for Pembrokeshire People First, supported by the British Institute of Human Rights and My Life My Choice, Warrington Speak Up and All Wales People First, in relation to the government’s failure to produce a full ‘easy-read’ version of the Consultation on Reform to the Human Rights Act, prior to the end of the consultation on 8 March 2022. The government has apologised for not having produced this, but has not extended the deadline for consultation responses. The Consultation explains that:

“The government is committed to updating the Human Rights Act 1998. This consultation seeks views on the government’s proposals to revise the Human Rights Act and replace it with a Bill of Rights, in order to restore a proper balance between the rights of individuals, personal responsibility and the wider public interest.”

The proposals are therefore of the most profound constitutional nature. The Human Rights Act 1998 empowers disabled people to enforce their rights in the most fundamental areas of their lives. Our client argues that the government has both a statutory and common law duty to ensure that disabled people who require an ‘easy-read’ version are able to respond to the consultation, and have sufficient time in which to respond.

Read more about the case on the British Institute for Human Rights’ website, here.

We are pleased to say that, after Rook Irwin Sweeney wrote to the government on behalf of Pembrokeshire People First, an easy-read version of the consultation was produced and the government extended the deadline for responses for those who needed additional time. We look forward to considering the government’s consultation response in due course.

April 2022