Compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights
105 The Government considers that this Bill is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Rt. Hon. Robert Buckland QC MP has provided a statement under section 19(1)(a) of the Human Rights Act 1998 to that effect. The operation of clause 1 engages Article 7 of the European Convention as it operates with retrospective effect on the Acts relating to sentencing. Schedule 1 to the Bill lists those exceptions made to the operation of clause 1 to ensure that no heavier penalty or minimum or mandatory sentence is imposed on an offender than was available at the date of the offence.