Human Rights Annual Report 2005: First Report of Session 2005-06; Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

The Committee's report examines the eighth annual report by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ('Human Rights Annual Report 2005', Cm. 6606, ISBN 0101660626) published in July 2005. Issues discussed include: the international legal framework and the work of international institutions; the war against terrorism and treatment of detainees in Guantanamo Bay, extraordinary rendition and the use of information derived from torture, the situation in Iraq and the trial of Saddam Hussein; the arms trade and military assistance, and corporate social responsibility; and states of concern. The Committee welcomes the report as making a substantial contribution to the transparency and visibility of the Government's work on human rights matters. However, concerns are raised over the fact that the Minister responsible for human rights issues is also the Minister of State for Trade, roles which are often contradictory. The decision to subsume human rights work into the more general category of sustainable development is also criticised, since it would suggest that human rights issues are not being given sufficient strategic priority within UK foreign policy.