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"The Home Secretary's announcement of the Immigration and Asylum Bill raises questions about how human rights protections will apply in the UK, and we will be studying the detail carefully. Central to those questions is Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and it is important to be clear about what it actually does.

"Article 8 protects the right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence - covering not just family relationships, but personal identity, medical information and the ability to participate in society. It protects all of us in our daily lives. But it is not an absolute right. Public authorities can already interfere with it where doing so is lawful, necessary and proportionate - to protect national security, public safety or to prevent crime. The Convention is not a barrier to effective immigration control; it is a framework that ensures minimum protections for everyone.

"The Bill also contains proposals to reform the Modern Slavery Act. Any changes must be considered carefully. People in very vulnerable situations - including victims of human trafficking - must retain meaningful access to justice and the protections they are entitled to.

"As we set out in our joint statement with the Scottish and Northern Ireland Human Rights Commissions in March, we have urged the government to commit to no reduction in rights protections."

Further Information:

More information about Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights can be found on the EHRC website.