Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the leadership of Sinn Fein on the (a) adequacy and (b) effectiveness of the work of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

As part of its commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023, the Government has committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to fundamentally reform and strengthen the independent Commission established by the Act to ensure it is fully human rights compliant and can command public confidence.

As part of this process, the Government continues to engage with all interested parties in a spirit of openness regarding an appropriate way forward, including the Northern Ireland parties. I have recently met the leadership of Sinn Fein to discuss a range of issues, including legacy, and will continue to do sox.