Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery

Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard Excerpts

Wednesday 21st May 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard]

To ask His Majesty’s Government, following the declassification of files which stated that the Government “turned a blind eye” to serious crimes of the IRA in 2001, whether they will refer any murder cases to the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent) (Lab)]

My Lords, under the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, the commission is responsible for Troubles-related investigations for the period 1966 to 1998. Any alleged criminality which took place after 10 April 1998, including that described by the noble Lord, remains a matter for the PSNI. The UK Government do not comment on national archive releases or releases relating to previous Governments.

However, I want to take this opportunity to pay thanks to my noble friend the former Secretary of State at that time, as well as to all Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, for their role in the incredibly challenging work of helping to maintain peace and delivering and implementing the Good Friday agreement, including the effective decommissioning of weapons. We owe them an immense debt of gratitude and should never forget the context in which they were operating.

[Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (UUP)]

My Lords, last year, the Conservative Government brought a Northern Ireland legacy Bill to this House and this Parliament. I did not support it because of limited immunity, but at least they had the courage and the decency to bring it to this House for debate and voting instead of having a de facto amnesty. The noble Lord, Lord Reid, at the time warned Prime Minister Blair of the consequences of having Sinn Féin, linked to a terrorist organisation, in government. I ask the Minister: at that time, because of the individuals involved in that meeting, does she accept that Gerry Adams was a senior figure in the IRA?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord will be aware that I cannot comment on anything to do with the archive. As to the matter he raises, it is currently a matter of ongoing court proceedings.