Select committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 13
Third Report: Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past: the Government’s New Proposals (Interim Report)
Published 26 Oct 2020
Paragraph 47
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)
The Government must, with some urgency, set out how its proposed information recovery mechanism will operate, including the means by which it will obtain information. The needs of victims and survivors, for truth, accountability and for reconciliation will be deeply damaged if information is not fully available without 28 Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past: the Government’s New Proposals (Interim Report) impediment to legacy structures. For this to be successful, transparency and access to relevant information are key and the positive and proactive engagement of the relevant actors and agencies would be required. We heard that historically the operational culture has not always met this test and ask those concerned to reflect carefully on this point.
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 47, 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".