The Human Rights Act

The Human Rights Act (the Act), together with the Scotland Act, protects the rights that are contained in the European Convention on Human Rights in Scotland’s own laws.

The Act means that people can raise human rights issues in Scottish courts. It also places a duty on public bodies to comply with human rights in everything they do.

• Read our comment on the UK Government’s announcement of a review of the Human Rights Act (December 2020).

• Read our comment on UK Government plans for a Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission (December 2019). 

• Read our evidence to an Inquiry into 20 years of the Human Rights Act by the UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights (2018).

• Read our comment on UK Government proposals for a new British Bill of Rights (2016). 

• Read the Commission's progressive test for any proposals to change human rights laws, published in 2015.  This makes clear that any changes must protect rights for all, improve people’s lives, ensure accountability, build a better human rights culture, and show international leadership.

• Read our Frequently Asked Questions briefing on the Human Rights Act and proposals to change it (2015).