House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement
Addressing Northern Ireland Legacy Issues
18 March 2020 · Northern Ireland Office
Proposed by Brandon Lewis Con Great Yarmouth
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
At a glance
Key points
- The Government proposes to introduce legislation for an independent body to manage legacy issues of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
- This body will focus on information recovery and reconciliation rather than continuing investigations and prosecutions.
- The independent body aims to provide family reports on loved ones' deaths and set clear thresholds for further investigations.
Issue summary
The statement addresses the legacy issues of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, proposing a new approach focused on information recovery and reconciliation rather than ongoing investigations.
Action requested
The Government proposes to introduce legislation that will establish an independent body to manage both information recovery and investigative aspects of the legacy system. This body would ensure efficient retrieval of knowledge before it is lost, provide family reports with information about loved ones' deaths, and set clear thresholds for further investigations or prosecutions.
Key facts
- The Stormont House Agreement in 2014 was a significant milestone but did not stop debates on the issue.
- In 2018, over 17,000 responses were received during the public consultation on ‘Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past’.
- The Government aims to focus on information recovery and reconciliation rather than ongoing investigations due to the diminishing likelihood of justice for most cases as time passes.