Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to prevent vexatious lawsuits against soldiers that served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

The Government has been clear about its intention to prevent vexatious claims against former service personnel.

That is why we have delivered the Overseas Operations Act, and we remain committed to delivering for Northern Ireland veterans separately as part of a wider package to address legacy issues in Northern Ireland that focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims and ends the cycle of investigations that is not working well for anyone.

We are seeking to make progress on this issue as quickly as possible and are engaging substantively with key stakeholders - including the Irish Government, Northern Ireland parties and civil society - on the way forward.