A report examined whether the United Kingdom needed a Bill of Rights.
Source: A British Bill of Rights: Informing the debate, JUSTICE (020 7329 5100)
Links: Report | Summary | Liberal Democrats press release
Date: 2007-Nov
A report said that the government should prevent police from storing the profiles of innocent people on the national DNA database, and should drop plans to extend police powers that would see DNA samples being taken from people suspected of minor offences such as littering or speeding.
Source: The Forensic Use of Bioinformation: Ethical issues, Nuffield Council on Bioethics (020 7681 9619)
Links: Report | NCB press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Sep
A report said that successive governments had paid too much attention to public fears over terrorism, at the expense of basic rights.
Source: Eric Metcalfe, The Future of Counter-terrorism and Human Rights, JUSTICE (020 7329 5100)
Links: Report | JUSTICE press release
Date: 2007-Sep
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on counter-terrorism policy and human rights. It said that it was 'absolutely committed' to upholding the international human rights framework.
Source: Counter-terrorism Policy and Human Rights: 28 Days, Intercept and Post-charge Questioning – Government Reply to the Nineteenth Report from the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Cm 7215, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2007-Sep
A report by a joint committee of MPs and peers reviewed the committee's own monitoring work on judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, and on declarations of incompatibility with the Human Rights Act made by courts in the United Kingdom. It recommended measures to overcome obstacles to implementation of court judgments finding breaches of human rights.
Source: Monitoring the Government?s Response to Court Judgments Finding Breaches of Human Rights, Sixteenth Report (Session 2006-07), HC 728 and HL 128, Joint Committee on Human Rights (House of Lords and House of Commons) Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jun
A think-tank report said that there were 266 powers allowing state officials to enter a private home as of right. Many powers were drafted so broadly that the citizen had little or no protection if officials behaved officiously or vindictively. New legislation was needed to harmonize the procedural provisions of all existing entry powers, and protect the citizen by making accountability and transparency paramount.
Source: Harry Snook, Crossing the Threshold: 266 ways the state can enter your home, Centre for Policy Studies (020 7222 4488)
Links: Report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Apr
A report said that the collection, storage, and processing of personal data could be of great benefit to citizens: but that users' privacy should be protected. It outlined some of the critical points where technology could be used for unreasonable or unnecessary surveillance, where technical failures could lead to loss of data and diminished trust, and where computer processing of personal data could have unwarranted consequences for fair treatment and human rights.
Source: Dilemmas of Privacy and Surveillance: Challenges of technological change, Royal Academy of Engineering (020 7227 0500)
Links: Report | RAE press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Mar
The High Court ruled that the use of a 'control order' against a terror suspect breached his human rights. The order required the suspect to live at a particular address and remain there between 7pm and 7am, banned unauthorized visitors or meetings elsewhere, and barred him from having a mobile phone or internet equipment.
Source: Secretary of State for the Home Department v E, High Court 16 February 2007
Links: Text of judgement | Summary | Liberty press release | FT report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Feb
A report said that an overwhelming majority of people were willing to give up various freedoms to help tackle the threat of terrorism.
Source: Mark Johnson and Conor Gearty, 'Civil liberties and the challenge of terrorism', British Social Attitudes: The 23rd Report - Perspectives on a changing society, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Natcen press release | FT report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Jan