Northern Ireland: Victims Payment Scheme

Lord Bruce of Bennachie Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd June 2020 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

I acknowledge the noble Lord’s experience in these matters. I am not in a position to give any guarantees but, again, I wish to assure all concerned that this is a matter of great urgency.

[Lord Bruce of Bennachie (LD)]

In January, the then Secretary of State, Julian Smith, said that the

“discussions and delay of the past few years have gone on long enough … The time has come to get this done and deliver for those people who will benefit most.”

Yet here we are. This House has a real stake in this issue. Does the Minister recognise that this is a UK-wide issue, as the commissioner pointed out today, because terrorists have murdered and maimed people right across the UK? Surely that reinforces the need for the UK Government to take a lead on funding, to break the deadlock and to ensure that compensation is delivered at the earliest opportunity in the next few days.

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

The noble Lord is right. Different parties have been involved in this. I want to make it clear that the UK Government have played a strong role in taking this forward, and I reiterate that the Northern Ireland Executive made certain pledges back in 2014. I also reiterate that it is now up to the Northern Ireland Executive to take this matter forward.