The biggest risk to human rights comes from Britain's economic downturn, the chairman for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) warned today.
Speaking at a parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Trevor Phillips, said that while human rights are a cultural as well as financial issue: "There is no question [economic] pressures on local authorities will make it difficult to ensure a level of care that does not breach human rights", he cautioned.
"We think the role of local authorities is incredibly important but can be inhibited by finance."
Phillips said a big area of concern was domestic violence and homophobic violence, describing breaches taking place as being on an "urgent" scale that needed to be tackled.
His words come after the Equalities Chief received press attention yesterday over his claims that human rights laws are being interpreted in a "thoroughly bonkers" way.
Phillips spoke during a joint committee meeting attended by Alan Miller of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, Professor Michael O'Flaherty of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Bob Collins of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Miller offered a grim warning about the future of the United Kingdom being threatened by calls for a British bill of rights, saying it was "very unlikely the Scottish Parliament will consent to the repeal of the Human Rights Act".