Constitution of the United Kingdom 1215, as amended to 2013
Judicial Protection
  • English
    (1) A court or tribunal determining a question which has arisen in connection with a Convention right9 must take into account any—
    (a) judgment, decision, declaration or advisory opinion of the European Court of Human Rights,
    (b) opinion of the Commission given in a report adopted under Article 31 of the Convention,
    (c) decision of the Commission in connection with Article 26 or 27(2) of the Convention, or
    (d) decision of the Committee of Ministers taken under Article 46 of the Convention,
    whenever made or given, so far as, in the opinion of the court or tribunal, it is relevant to the proceedings in which that question has arisen.
    … (Human Rights Act 1998, Sec. 2)
Judicial Protection
  • English
    (1) So far as it is possible to do so, primary legislation and subordinate legislation must be read and given effect in a way which is compatible with the Convention rights.
     (2)This section—
    (a) applies to primary legislation and subordinate legislation whenever enacted;
    (b) does not affect the validity, continuing operation or enforcement of any incompatible primary legislation; and
    (c) does not affect the validity, continuing operation or enforcement of any incompatible subordinate legislation if (disregarding any possibility of revocation) primary legislation prevents removal of the incompatibility. (Human Rights Act 1998, Sec. 3)
Judicial Protection
  • English
    (1) Subsection (2) applies in any proceedings in which a court determines whether a provision of primary legislation is compatible with a Convention right.
    (2) If the court is satisfied that the provision is incompatible with a Convention right, it may make a declaration of that incompatibility.
    (3) Subsection (4) applies in any proceedings in which a court determines whether a provision of subordinate legislation, made in the exercise of a power conferred by primary legislation, is compatible with a Convention right.
    (4) If the court is satisfied—
    (a) that the provision is incompatible with a Convention right, and
    (b) that (disregarding any possibility of revocation) the primary legislation concerned prevents removal of the incompatibility, it may make a declaration of that incompatibility.
    (5) In this section “court” means—
    (a) the Supreme Court;
    (b) the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council;
    (c) the Court Martial Appeal Court;
    (d) in Scotland, the High Court of Justiciary sitting otherwise than as a trial court or the Court of Session;
    (e) in England and Wales or Northern Ireland, the High Court or the Court of Appeal.
    (f) the Court of Protection, in any matter being dealt with by the President of the Family Division, the Chancellor of the High Court or a puisne judge of the High Court. (Human Rights Act 1998, Sec. 4)10
Judicial Protection
  • English
    (1) A person who claims that a public authority has acted (or proposes to act) in a way which is made unlawful by section 6(1) may—
    (a) bring proceedings against the authority under this Act in the appropriate court or tribunal, or
    (b) rely on the Convention right or rights concerned in any legal proceedings, but only if he is (or would be) a victim of the unlawful act.
    (2) In subsection (1)(a) “appropriate court or tribunal” means such court or tribunal as may be determined in accordance with rules; and proceedings against an authority include a counterclaim or similar proceeding.
    (3) If the proceedings are brought on an application for judicial review, the applicant is to be taken to have a sufficient interest in relation to the unlawful act only if he is, or would be, a victim of that act.
    (4) If the proceedings are made by way of a petition for judicial review in Scotland, the applicant shall be taken to have title and interest to sue in relation to the unlawful act only if he is, or would be, a victim of that act.

    (6) In subsection (1)(b) “legal proceedings” includes—
    (a) proceedings brought by or at the instigation of a public authority; and
    (b) an appeal against the decision of a court or tribunal.
    … (Human Rights Act 1998, Sec. 7)
Judicial Protection
  • English
    (1) In relation to any act (or proposed act) of a public authority which the court finds is (or would be) unlawful, it may grant such relief or remedy, or make such order, within its powers as it considers just and appropriate.
    (2) But damages may be awarded only by a court which has power to award damages, or to order the payment of compensation, in civil proceedings.
    (3) No award of damages is to be made unless, taking account of all the circumstances of the case, including—
    (a) any other relief or remedy granted, or order made, in relation to the act in question (by that or any other court), and
    (b) the consequences of any decision (of that or any other court) in respect of that act, the court is satisfied that the award is necessary to afford just satisfaction to the person in whose favour it is made.
    (4) In determining—
    (a) whether to award damages, or
    (b) the amount of an award, the court must take into account the principles applied by the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the award of compensation under Article 41 of the Convention.
    … (Human Rights Act 1998, Sec. 8)
Judicial Protection
  • English
    (1) Proceedings under section 7(1)(a) in respect of a judicial act may be brought only—
    (a) by exercising a right of appeal;
    (b) on an application (in Scotland a petition) for judicial review; or
    (c) in such other forum as may be prescribed by rules.
    (2) That does not affect any rule of law which prevents a court from being the subject of judicial review.
    (3) In proceedings under this Act in respect of a judicial act done in good faith, damages may not be awarded otherwise than to compensate a person to the extent required by Article 5(5) of the Convention.
    (4) An award of damages permitted by subsection (3) is to be made against the Crown; but no award may be made unless the appropriate person, if not a party to the proceedings, is joined.
    (5) In this section—
    “appropriate person” means the Minister responsible for the court concerned, or a person or government department nominated by him;
    “court” includes a tribunal;
    “judge” includes a member of a tribunal, a justice of the peace (or, in Northern Ireland, a lay magistrate) and a clerk or other officer entitled to exercise the jurisdiction of a court;
    “judicial act” means a judicial act of a court and includes an act done on the instructions, or on behalf, of a judge; and
    “rules” has the same meaning as in section 7(9). (Human Rights Act 1998, Sec. 9)
Judicial Protection
  • English
    (1) This section applies if—
    (a) a provision of legislation has been declared under section 4 to be incompatible with a Convention right and, if an appeal lies—
    (i) all persons who may appeal have stated in writing that they do not intend to do so;
    (ii) the time for bringing an appeal has expired and no appeal has been brought within that time; or
    (iii) an appeal brought within that time has been determined or abandoned;

    (2) If a Minister of the Crown considers that there are compelling reasons for proceeding under this section, he may by order make such amendments to the legislation as he considers necessary to remove the incompatibility.
    (3) If, in the case of subordinate legislation, a Minister of the Crown considers—
    (a) that it is necessary to amend the primary legislation under which the subordinate legislation in question was made, in order to enable the incompatibility to be removed, and
    (b) that there are compelling reasons for proceeding under this section,
    he may by order make such amendments to the primary legislation as he considers necessary.
    … (Human Rights Act 1998, Sec. 10)
Judicial Protection
  • English
    A person’s reliance on a Convention right does not restrict—
    (a) any other right or freedom conferred on him by or under any law having effect in any part of the United Kingdom; or
    (b) his right to make any claim or bring any proceedings which he could make or bring apart from sections 7 to 9. (Human Rights Act 1998, Sec. 11)
1
Constitution of the United Kingdom 1215, as amended to 2013. The United Kingdom does not possess a codified "constitution" but an unwritten one consisting of Acts of Parliament, court judgments and conventions (English) and the British Nationality Act 1981 (English). UN Women database provisions are based on these sources.
Links to all sites last visited 31 March 2021
2
As amended by British Overseas Act 2002 and Treaty of Lisbon (Changes in Terminology) Order 2011.
3
As amended by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
4
As amended by Civil Partnership Act 2004.
5
As amended by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, and Immigration Act 2014.
6
As amended by Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Armed Forces Act 2006, Mental Capacity Act 2005, and Crime and Courts Act 2013.
7
Hereinafter ECHR.
8
As amended by Scotland Act 2016.
9
According to Sec. 1: (1) “In this Act “the Convention rights” means the rights and fundamental freedoms set out in—(a) Articles 2 to 12 and 14 of the Convention,(b) Articles 1 to 3 of the First Protocol, and(c) Article 1 of the Thirteenth Protocol as read with Articles 16 to 18 of the Convention.(2) Those Articles are to have effect for the purposes of this Act subject to any designated derogation or reservation (as to which see sections 14 and 15) (3) The Articles are set out in Schedule 1. …”
10
As amended by Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Armed Forces Act 2006, and Mental Capacity Act 2005, Crime and Courts Act 2013.
11
Also refer to Act of Settlement 1701.
12
As amended by Succession to the Crown Act 2013.
13
According to Sec. 1: (1) “In this Act “the Convention rights” means the rights and fundamental freedoms set out in—(a) Articles 2 to 12 and 14 of the Convention,(b) Articles 1 to 3 of the First Protocol, and(c) Article 1 of the Thirteenth Protocol as read with Articles 16 to 18 of the Convention.(2) Those Articles are to have effect for the purposes of this Act subject to any designated derogation or reservation (as to which see sections 14 and 15). (3) The Articles are set out in Schedule 1. …”