Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports of delays by the Northern Ireland Executive in administering the payment of pensions to victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, what plans they have, if any, to ensure that these payments take place.

The Government is taking this matter very seriously and we are extremely disappointed by the current delay.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is working tirelessly to see a resolution on departmental designation by the Executive Office, which is the next vital step towards this scheme opening. 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.

The Government provided a legislative framework for this scheme in the absence of an Executive and the Executive must now deliver.