Select committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 1
Third Report: Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past: the Government’s New Proposals (Interim Report)
Published 26 Oct 2020
Paragraph 5
Addressed to Northern Ireland Executive; Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s past: The UK Government's New Proposals All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We are disappointed that the UK Government has decided not to submit, to date, written evidence to our inquiry, but we look forward to receiving it, just as we would look forward to formal submissions from the Irish Government. In addition, the planned oral evidence session with the Secretary of State was postponed at the request of the Government. This Report is necessarily an Interim Report, in which we set out our recommendations and conclusions with a view to informing the future policy. We hope that the Government will use its response to this Interim Report to address the outstanding questions in this policy area and keep in mind the principles of the Stormont House Agreement and New Decade, New Approach.
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Third Report: Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past: the Government’s New Proposals (Interim Report) (HC 329), paragraph 5, 26 October 2020
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 18 January 2021.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says there is room for further constructive dialogue but also "a number of key issues on which we are in agreement" with the Committee, and it commits to continued engagement on legacy reform.
- On information recovery, the government welcomes the Committee's conclusions, says it believes "it is right to focus on information recovery", and says it "carefully considers all options" so any process is "fit for purpose". It "notes" the suggestion that it learn lessons from Operation Kenova.
- On veterans, it welcomes the Committee's recognition that decoupling Northern Ireland legacy issues from the Overseas Operations Bill is right, and says it will deliver on its commitments to NI veterans "as part of a wider package".
- On engagement, it is "in complete agreement" with the Committee that consultation with victims' groups, Northern Ireland parties and, to the extent necessary, the Irish Government should be transparent and meaningful.
- It makes no dated commitment, but says it will intensify engagement with key stakeholders going into the new year and share further details of its proposals "in due course".