Source · Select Committees · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Deferred
Inadequate funding for Troubles Bill legacy mechanisms risks failure to deliver truth and justice.
Recommendation
All the reform, goodwill and political impetus in the world will not lead to truth and justice if there is not enough money–either for investigatory or information-disclosing bodies. Despite the initial £250 million allocation to legacy mechanisms, this funding pot has not been updated to account for any of the new mechanisms proposed through the Troubles Bill. Indeed, additional duties on the Commission, responsibilities on bodies charged with identifying and disclosing information and ongoing legacy work currently funded through the devolved settlement all need to be accounted for. Without robust safeguards, regular review, and additional support, including by means of a new, recurring and ring-fenced Government funding stream to meet legacy costs within the PSNI, these reforms risk failure, not least in respect of the provision of contemporary policing in Northern Ireland’s unique and chronically underfunded policing and security context. (Conclusion, Paragraph 106)
Government Response Summary
The government reiterates its £250m funding commitment for legacy mechanisms, but redirects responsibility for PSNI funding and its allocation to the Department of Justice and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Government is committed to delivering on the funding for legacy mechanisms previously announced, with a total envelope of £250m. Funding for the PSNI is a matter for the Department of Justice. The Government has provided the Northern Ireland Executive with a record £19.3bn per year, on average, over the Spending Review period. This ensures Northern Ireland is funded above its independently assessed level of need. This includes an increased Additional Security Funding of £113 million for the Police Service of Northern Ireland. It is for the Northern Ireland Executive to consider how and where it allocates funding, as well as considering the revenue raising measures needed to deliver improved public services and better outcomes for citizens. The vast majority of the over 1000 cases formerly within the remit of the PSNI Legacy Investigation Branch no longer form part of its caseload, allowing the police service to focus its investigative resources elsewhere. The challenge of resourcing disclosure obligations for legacy mechanisms is one faced by several organisations, including Government departments and agencies.