Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Northern Ireland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Lady Hermon Excerpts
Wednesday 15th March 2017

(7 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Kris Hopkins Portrait Kris Hopkins
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I reiterate our condemnation of the comments made by Gerry McGeough. Our responsibility, if we are given the relevant information, is to consider whether we can suspend the licence. It is up to the independent commissioners to discuss that. It would be wrong for us to seek to fix the system further down. I trust our police service and the PPS to make the right decision.

Lady Hermon Portrait Lady Hermon (North Down) (Ind)
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The Minister will know that Mr McGeough did not receive a comfort letter, apparently because of an internal feud within Sinn Féin. The scheme for issuing comfort letters to those on the run—a scheme operated by Labour and Conservative Governments—was utterly deplorable, completely immoral and wrong. Will the Minister confirm for the record that no such scheme, or anything akin to an amnesty, is on the table for negotiation with Sinn Féin in dealing with legacy issues? That would be very helpful.