Asked by: Lillian Jones (Labour - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to support veterans who served in Operation Banner.
Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
The Government has engaged extensively with the veterans community, and in addition to the already significant protections included in the Troubles Bill, we have tabled a comprehensive package of amendments ahead of Committee Stage.
This includes putting clearly into law that there is no equivalence between the actions of soldiers and paramilitaries, creating a statutory requirement for the Commission and Coroners to consider operational context and including further protections to stop an individual veteran being contacted where state authorities can provide answers. Any veterans asked to participate in legacy processes will also have full access to the MoD’s legal and pastoral services.
We are also legislating for an independent review of the effectiveness of these measures, to ensure the provisions designed to help former service personnel deliver on our commitments.