Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery Debate
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Main Page: Baroness Suttie (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery
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Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
I thank my noble friend for her question. On 4 December, the Secretary of State laid a proposal for a draft remedial order in Parliament. This is the first step in correcting the mistakes of the previous Government’s approach and in fulfilling this Government’s commitment to repeal and replace the legacy Act, as was in our manifesto. The remedial order must sit in both Houses for two periods of 60 days to allow for proper scrutiny of the draft and for proper representations to be made. The Joint Committee on Human Rights has a key role in the process. It has already launched a call for evidence, which is due to close on Monday. The Secretary of State’s Statement, which I repeated in this House, also announced plans for primary legislation when parliamentary time allows. This will include provisions to reinstate legacy inquests halted by the Act, and to reform and strengthen the independent commission.
Baroness Suttie (LD)
My Lords, may I press the Minister a little more on the timing of the primary legislation? It is important to get this legislation right, but does she accept that this continued legal uncertainty on legacy issues is serving nobody in Northern Ireland well? Will she commit, for example, to bringing forward the new legislation, including a comprehensive reform of ICRIR, by the next anniversary of the Good Friday/Belfast agreement in April?
Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)
The noble Baroness is right. Let us be clear—this is about the victims of the Troubles and giving their families and those still affected by the Troubles the answers they so desperately need. Too many people have had to wait for too long. The Government are engaging with all parties in a spirit of openness to deliver on the promise of the Good Friday agreement, as well as on the Stormont House agreement. We will bring forward draft legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.