New powers for NI rights body

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is to be given right of entry to prisons and powers to compel witnesses to give evidence to it, under proposals published by the British government today.

Publishing a consultation paper on the extended powers, Britain's political development minister David Hanson said: “The government believes strongly in the importance of human rights and is committed to ensuring that the Commission has the right powers to enable it to carry out its duties effectively.”