Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many legacy civil suits that the Ministry of Defence was subject to, relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles, are currently active before the courts; how many were concluded in the last three year period; what amounts were paid to applicants overall; and what were the legal costs to the Ministry for (1) its own fees, and (2) those of the litigants.

There are currently 575 legacy civil claims against the Ministry of Defence (MOD) relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles which are active before the court. 43 claims have concluded in the last three-year period of which 29 claims resulted in financial settlement by the MOD. A claim is recorded by the MOD as settled when both the damages to the claimant and associated legal costs have been agreed and paid. Total damages paid by the MOD in this period were £632,000. The total plaintiffs' legal costs paid were £586,861. MOD's own legal costs were £212,042.

The other 14 claims which concluded in the three-year period were discontinued or resolved by other means.