Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the number of Armed Forces veterans who may become subject to renewed criminal investigations following passage of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

Operation Banner veterans served in Northern Ireland in the most difficult circumstances in order to preserve law and order and protect life. The vast majority did so with the utmost professionalism.

Operating under the rule of law is central to how our Armed Forces keep the UK safe at home and abroad, and there is no question of anyone being prosecuted for having lawfully followed the rules. It is also right that our Armed Forces are held to the highest standards - it is what sets them apart from the terrorists whose actions were never justified.

The Troubles Bill provides those veterans with effective and deliverable protections that the flawed Legacy Act never did, including protection from repeated investigations. The protections already included in the Bill will be further strengthened at Committee Stage when the Government table a package of amendments that respond directly to the concerns raised by veterans.

The Troubles Bill does not mandate the opening of any investigation. The primary route for the investigation of cases is the specific request of families seeking answers. This is exactly the same model as the previous government’s Legacy Act. Given this model, and the fact that 90% of Troubles-related deaths were caused by paramilitaries, this will be the overwhelming focus of the Commission’s work.

It is important to note that a significant proportion of live cases before the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery involve military victims.