Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assume responsibility for administering the Northern Ireland Troubles-related incident victims payments scheme, following the missed deadline to open the scheme to applications on 29 May.

Under the Victims Payments’ Regulations 2020, the Executive is required to designate a Department to exercise the administrative functions of the Board on the Board’s behalf. In the absence of an Executive, the UK Government brought forward legislation in January fulfilling its commitment to support the progression of this scheme. The Executive committed to take forward a scheme and, under the provisions of the Regulations, is legally obligated to now do so.

The Executive needs to designate a department that can own the policy and implement the scheme so that applications can be processed and payments made to victims.

Sinn Féin has been clear that it wants to reopen the criteria by which eligibility for the scheme will be determined but this scheme provides a fair, balanced and proportionate basis for helping those who suffered through no fault of their own. It is therefore imperative that Sinn Féin, along with all the parties, enable the scheme to move forward as the time for delay is done.