The Human Rights Act 1998 is one of the most important pieces of legislation that has been produced in the United Kingdom. It came into force on the 2nd of October 2000 with the aim of giving “further effect” in UK Law to the rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights. In essence the Act allows the UK courts to deal with possible breaches of Convention rights.
All public bodies have an obligation to ensure that at the very core of their service provision lies a respect for individuals Human Rights. The Act covers all aspects of a public body’s activities including:-
- creation of policies, procedures and functions
- policy implementation
- staffing & Human Rights issues
- the decision making process
- administrative procedures
- consultation or involvement with members of the public
