Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past

Baroness Laing of Elderslie Excerpts

Wednesday 14th July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Brandon Lewis]

My right hon. Friend has huge expertise and experience in these matters. The Select Committee report is indeed very clear, and goes into great detail about how this can work. My right hon. Friend is also absolutely right—which should surprise none of us—in his understanding of why the information recovery, truth and reconciliation part of this is so important. Not only is it the means for us to move Northern Ireland forward, but—here I return to what I said at the beginning of my statement—it is the means to ensure that what we do is compliant with human rights and article 2. To that end, we need to ensure that the information recovery mechanism is very clear, very focused and able to deliver, and, as we know from examples such as Operation Kenova, that can be done.

I thank my right hon. Friend for the expertise and advice that he has been able to provide, in the Committee’s report and subsequently. What he has said is absolutely right.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing)]

I will now suspend the House for a few minutes so that arrangements can be made for the next item of business.