Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 18 February (HL13507), whether both the remarks by that Minister on 27 March 2018 (HL Deb, cols 730–761), and private assurances he gave to Lord Hain that same day about the early provision of pensions for those who were severely physically injured in the Northern Ireland Troubles, still stand.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has commissioned advice on a victims’ pension from the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors for Northern Ireland. The scope of that advice includes “a proposal for, or options for, the type of pension which should be provided including consideration of a two-phased approach to delivery with a physical injury pension being rolled out first followed by psychological (and any risks of this approach)”. As the Secretary of State has indicated, the UK Government’s priority in Northern Ireland continues to be the restoration of the NI Executive. If, despite best efforts, the NI Executive has not been restored by the time updated advice on a pension has been provided by the Victims Commissioner, the Northern Ireland Office will consider this.