Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent comments of the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission regarding the employment of former members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary at the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is independent of Government and has a statutory duty to ensure government and other public bodies protect the human rights of everyone in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has met the Chief Commissioner to discuss a range of issues, including the Government’s approach to legacy reform.

The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery is operationally independent from Government, and its recruitment processes are a matter for it to determine within the statutory framework.