Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3049 on Patrick Finucane, if he will publish copies of his letters to (a) Mrs Finucane and (b) the Court of Appeal.

On Wednesday 11 September, I made an oral statement to Parliament announcing the Government’s intention to establish an independent inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane. I have notified the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal of this decision and Mrs Geraldine Finucane’s agreement to it.

The matter is still live before the Court. As such, I do not currently intend to publish these letters. Should I choose to publish them in future, I would seek Mrs Finucane’s and the Court’s approval to do so.