As the British government looks forward to “ramping up AI adoption across the UK”, including in the public sector, the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights has launched a new inquiry to examine how human rights can be protected in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This inquiry aims to examine the threats and opportunities AI poses to human rights in the UK. It will also consider whether existing legal and regulatory frameworks are sufficient to protect human rights and keep pace with AI development.
In the first phase – between 25 July - 5 September 2025 – the Joint Committee invited written submissions. Oral evidence sessions will follow in 2026.
In our written submission, we recommend that the UK government should:
- promptly expedite the ratification of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI and Human Rights, the Rule of Law and Democracy;
- close regulatory gaps and adopt a horizontal, flexible regulatory framework on AI, covering all AI systems without blanket sectoral exemptions. This framework should apply to both the public and private sectors. It should be supported by an independent agency responsible for continuously assessing risks, impacts and mitigation requirements, and guiding developers and deployers. The process should also ensure adequate engagement of rights holders and potentially impacted groups; and
- support investment and participation in international mechanisms – including AI safety institutes and human rights-based governance frameworks – at the Council of Europe and UN level to ensure ongoing monitoring, human oversight, and accountability throughout AI lifecycles.
Read ECNL’s full submission on the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights’ webpage.