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Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023

Asked by Dr Al PinkertonLiberal DemocratNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled Answered 16 May 2025UIN 51069

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of adopting aspects of the investigative model used by Operation Kenova to reform the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.

Answered by Hilary Benn

The Government is committed to repealing and replacing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. As part of that process, we are considering a range of options for ensuring the ICRIR is both fully ECHR compliant and capable of commanding public confidence across all communities in Northern Ireland.

During ongoing policy development, the Government is examining a number of operational models, including the one used by Operation Kenova, which has rightly been praised for its independence, and victim-centred approach.

The Government’s objective in this area is to ensure a reformed Commission is able to win the trust of families, and is underpinned by transparency, rigour and accountability at every level.

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