Troubles Bill to be ‘rushed through’ House of Commons in October, MPs told

John Lamont, the shadow deputy leader of the House of Commons, called for ministers to explain why they had allocated no more than two afternoons for MPs to conclude their debates on the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

Commons Leader Sir Alan Campbell earlier announced that MPs would have the opportunity to consider and amend the Bill on Monday October 19 and Tuesday October 20.

After their debates next month, the Bill is expected to go to the House of Lords for further consideration.

The legislation is designed to replace the Conservative government’s 2023 Legacy Act, which halted civil cases and inquests into Troubles deaths and also included a conditional offer of immunity for the perpetrators of Troubles crimes in exchange for co-operation with an information recovery body.

The newer Bill will lead to restructures at the information recovery body, changing its name from the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery to the Legacy Commission.

It will also allow a small number of inquests which were already started to continue but block fresh inquests from entering the system, and set up the Independent Commission for Information Retrieval in a bid to help families gather information about what happened to their loved ones during the Troubles.

MPs backed the Bill at the second reading stage in November last year by 320 votes to 105, majority 215.

They are yet to consider amendments to the legislation at committee stage, which is now scheduled for mid-October – after a recess for the political party conference season which begins next week.

Mr Lamont told the Commons on Thursday: “The Leader has announced that the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will be rushed through the House over a couple of days in October.

“This is very little time to consider such a complex Bill, particularly as the Government is reported to be preparing to table over 100 amendments.

“I therefore ask the Leader of the House if he will ensure that the Government amendments are tabled before the House rises on Tuesday.”

Sir Alan replied that because the committee stage would take place in the main debating chamber, a separate amending stage known as report might be unnecessary.

“It is often the case when matters are dealt with on the floor of the House that the report stage is either unnecessary or there isn’t a great deal of time,” he added.

“But I take away what he says.

“I’ll also take away what he says about making sure that the amendments are timely because we want to go further at the committee stage with a substantial package of amendments safeguarding our Operation Banner veterans.

“None of these protections were included in previous legislation, which instead left our veterans in legal limbo.”

Operation Banner was the name for the British Armed Forces’ 38-year campaign in Northern Ireland which ended in 2007.