Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023: Veterans
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 on the legal protection of UK veterans.
Answered by Hilary Benn
We owe a great debt to our Armed Forces who served in Northern Ireland.
The previous government's Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 has been found to be unlawful and was widely opposed in Northern Ireland, including by some families who lost relatives whilst serving the State.
That legislation does not prevent legal action being brought by prosecutors for Troubles-related offences, although it is clear that, with the passage of time, prosecutions are increasingly unlikely. As this Government puts in place changes to ensure that legacy cases are dealt with sensitively, efficiently and lawfully, we will ensure that any veteran engaging with this process receives welfare and, where appropriate, legal support.
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