Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that veterans of the Northern Ireland conflict are not subject to potential repeated or prolonged legal action under the provisions of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.

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.