The British government is preparing to introduce what it describes as a substantial package of amendments to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, with the changes set to be formally tabled later today.
The legislation is intended to replace the 2023 Legacy Act, which established a controversial scheme granting immunity from prosecution to people involved in the Troubles.
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Under the proposed amendments, British Army veterans and former RUC officers would receive what the government calls “robust legal safeguards” for their service during the conflict. At the same time, the conditional immunity extended to veterans and paramilitaries under the Legacy Act would be removed.
That change would reopen the possibility of prosecutions against former British soldiers and members of paramilitary organisations, provided the required legal tests are satisfied.
The body responsible for investigating the legacy of the Troubles would also be required to establish whether compelling new evidence exists before contacting potential witnesses in individual cases.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant and Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the amendments would enshrine in law the principle that the actions of crown forces cannot be equated with those of paramilitary groups.
The proposed wording would prevent the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) and coroners from treating lawful conduct by armed forces personnel as equivalent to terrorist activity carried out by paramilitaries.
The bill would also introduce safeguards against the “cold-calling” of veterans, require the commission to verify the existence of compelling new evidence before approaching witnesses, and ensure that at least one veteran or veteran representative serves on the Victims and Survivors Advisory Group.
Governments urged to establish paramilitary transition mechanism
Separately, a new report has urged the UK and Irish governments to create a formal process to help paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland move towards disbandment.
The Independent Report On Paramilitary Group Transition To Disbandment concluded that such a mechanism could have “sufficient merit”, provided it operated under conditions including a ban on financial rewards for paramilitary organisations.
Last year, the two governments appointed Fleur Ravensbergen to assess whether talks with paramilitary groups on disbandment would be worthwhile.
The proposal was criticised at the time by Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long, who said the approach was inappropriate.
Ms Ravensbergen has since conducted a year-long scoping and engagement exercise, including meetings with representatives of loyalist and republican organisations.
She also called for neighbourhood policing to be strengthened, allowing officers to maintain a “sustained focus on their core role within the communities they serve”.
The report recommends targeted, long-term programmes to support young people living in communities affected by paramilitary harm.
It said the face of paramilitarism has changed, but warned that the “wider infrastructure associated with paramilitarism has proven more persistent than many had anticipated”.
It said: “Stakeholders described the increasing prominence of drug-related crime, extortion, illegal money-lending, exploitation and other forms of criminal activity in areas where a paramilitary presence remains.”
The report also said there remains a “continuing national security threat from some dissident republican paramilitary groups which requires significant policing and security resources”.
It stated: “The nature, extent and impact of paramilitary influence vary considerably between paramilitary groups, communities and geographical areas.
“However, it is clear that residual paramilitary structures continue to cause harm in some communities.”
Additional reporting PA
