Susie
01-15-2008, 12:36 AM
Foreigners 'Taking Advantage of Human Rights Act'
By James Watson
The Press Association (U.K.), January 12, 2008
http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=7221881
Most British people believe asylum seekers and immigrants are taking advantage of the Human Rights Act, a government study has revealed.
The study of 1,965 people for the Ministry of Justice was conducted in October 2005 but its results have only now been released.
It says 57% agree that too many people, mostly asylum seekers and other ``foreigners'', take advantage of the Human Rights Act, while 40% agreed that the Act has caused more problems than it has solved.
One in 10 people believe criminals and lawyers are taking advantage of the Act.
The report, published on January 10, presents the findings from the Human Rights Insight Project which was conducted by the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) (which was taken over by the Ministry of Justice in May 2007) from December 2004 to May 2006.
The research also says people believe there is a lack of shared values in Britain. A total of 56% agreed that ``this country lacks a shared sense of rights and responsibilities'' and 94% agreed that ``we need to treat each other with more respect''.
In his introduction to the report, Minister for Human Rights Michael Wills writes: ``The report assesses the interface between human rights and public perception and demonstrates that the British public recognises that there is a need for a law to protect human rights in this country.
``The report contains important findings which informed the Human Rights Programme arising from the Review of the implementation of the Human Rights Act, set in train by Lord Falconer.
``The programme was successfully completed in September 2007. I believe it is now time for the findings to be made more widely available.''
The report says the concept of having a law that deals with human rights in Britain is also overwhelmingly popular.
It states: ``In general we may conclude that most people support the concept of both human rights and the Human Rights Act, but see some problems with how the legislation currently operates.''
The document also states the report is intended to ``stimulate discussion'' and does not represent government policy.
In November Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended the Act, which has been blamed for preventing dangerous criminals being deported.
He said the principles of the Act, and the European Convention of Human Rights, had a ``pedigree which stretches back to the Magna Carta''.
The Conservatives have vowed to scrap the Act and replace it with a British Bill of Rights.
In October last year the Home Office was blocked from deporting a serial sex offender from Sierra Leone because of the Act.
Mr Justice Hodge, president of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, had upheld an immigration judge in blocking Home Office moves to deport Mohammed Kendeh to his native Sierra Leone.
He decided that Kendeh, 20, from Peckham, south London, who has admitted indecently assaulting 11 women in the past five years, should be allowed to stay because he came here aged six and had virtually no family left in West Africa.
Mr Justice Hodge ruled he should stay under article eight of the Human Rights Act, which gives a person the right to a family life, it was reported.
Last month the Labour MP Andrew Dismore pressed for a change in the law to ensure private companies carrying out public functions such as providing care were bound by the Act.
He accused the Government of ``not moving quickly enough'' to give vulnerable people full protection under the Act.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Ministry of Justice can be found online at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/index.htm
By James Watson
The Press Association (U.K.), January 12, 2008
http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=7221881
Most British people believe asylum seekers and immigrants are taking advantage of the Human Rights Act, a government study has revealed.
The study of 1,965 people for the Ministry of Justice was conducted in October 2005 but its results have only now been released.
It says 57% agree that too many people, mostly asylum seekers and other ``foreigners'', take advantage of the Human Rights Act, while 40% agreed that the Act has caused more problems than it has solved.
One in 10 people believe criminals and lawyers are taking advantage of the Act.
The report, published on January 10, presents the findings from the Human Rights Insight Project which was conducted by the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) (which was taken over by the Ministry of Justice in May 2007) from December 2004 to May 2006.
The research also says people believe there is a lack of shared values in Britain. A total of 56% agreed that ``this country lacks a shared sense of rights and responsibilities'' and 94% agreed that ``we need to treat each other with more respect''.
In his introduction to the report, Minister for Human Rights Michael Wills writes: ``The report assesses the interface between human rights and public perception and demonstrates that the British public recognises that there is a need for a law to protect human rights in this country.
``The report contains important findings which informed the Human Rights Programme arising from the Review of the implementation of the Human Rights Act, set in train by Lord Falconer.
``The programme was successfully completed in September 2007. I believe it is now time for the findings to be made more widely available.''
The report says the concept of having a law that deals with human rights in Britain is also overwhelmingly popular.
It states: ``In general we may conclude that most people support the concept of both human rights and the Human Rights Act, but see some problems with how the legislation currently operates.''
The document also states the report is intended to ``stimulate discussion'' and does not represent government policy.
In November Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended the Act, which has been blamed for preventing dangerous criminals being deported.
He said the principles of the Act, and the European Convention of Human Rights, had a ``pedigree which stretches back to the Magna Carta''.
The Conservatives have vowed to scrap the Act and replace it with a British Bill of Rights.
In October last year the Home Office was blocked from deporting a serial sex offender from Sierra Leone because of the Act.
Mr Justice Hodge, president of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, had upheld an immigration judge in blocking Home Office moves to deport Mohammed Kendeh to his native Sierra Leone.
He decided that Kendeh, 20, from Peckham, south London, who has admitted indecently assaulting 11 women in the past five years, should be allowed to stay because he came here aged six and had virtually no family left in West Africa.
Mr Justice Hodge ruled he should stay under article eight of the Human Rights Act, which gives a person the right to a family life, it was reported.
Last month the Labour MP Andrew Dismore pressed for a change in the law to ensure private companies carrying out public functions such as providing care were bound by the Act.
He accused the Government of ``not moving quickly enough'' to give vulnerable people full protection under the Act.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Ministry of Justice can be found online at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/index.htm