Boris Johnson urges movement on Troubles victims’ pension but stalemate continues

In the House of Commons yesterday, the Prime Minister said that Sinn Fein should work with the other NI Executive parties to ensure the scheme – which was due to launch last month – is not delayed further.

Senior Sinn Fein figures have objected to a clause in the new legislation as it would exclude those who were seriously injured while carrying out attacks or other terrorist activity.

Another stumbling block is a stand-off between the UK Government and Stormont over foots the £100 million bill.

At Westminster on Wednesday, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson of the DUP reminded Mr Johnson that “innocent victims have not yet been able to benefit” from the scheme, “not least because of the actions of Sinn Fein”.

Sir Jeffrey added: “Will the Prime Minister and his government now commit to doing all they can to move this matter forward so that our most vulnerable of innocent victims can receive this pension?”

The PM responded saying: “Yes indeed. I think the scheme provides a fair, balanced and proportionate way of helping all those who have suffered most during the Troubles.

“It is very important that Sinn Féin, along with all other parties, allow the scheme to go forward as soon as possible.”

The draft guidelines for the implementation of the new scheme were expected to be published by the Northern Ireland Office yesterday, however, it is understood that publication has been delayed as the row over the status of former terrorists continues.

The document will set out how a judge-led panel will decide who is entitled to payment.

Under a previous draft leaked to BBCNI, former prisoners who served more than 30 months could be refused a pension if there were no mitigating factors.

The judge could also use other “material evidence” to reject applications in “exceptional circumstances”.

Sinn’s Gerry Kelly has said that the revised criteria for the Victims’ Payment Scheme must be based on need – and the “legal definition of a victim of the conflict”.

Concerns have also been raised that the ‘material evidence’ referred to relates to intelligence reports that only the judge will be able to access.

Mr Kelly said the Northern Ireland parties had not been consulted on the legislation which has “the potential to exclude perhaps thousands of republicans and nationalists who were injured by state forces”.

The draft guidelines state that an application can be rejected if the president of the panel decides the “exceptional circumstances of the case having regard to material evidence” makes payment inappropriate – including a recent terrorist conviction, or if the claimant “caused wholly or in part the incident in which they were injured as evidenced by a case or action proven to a civil standard”.