Department apologises to MLAs after major error over Troubles victims pension

The issue has become a major political sore point as Stormont and Westminster have repeatedly clashed over who should foot the bill of up to £1.2bn for the pension.

However on Wednesday at the Stormont Finance Committee a Department of Finance Official advised MLAs that a £430m item for the year ahead was for Troubles victims.

On Thursday morning TUV lead Jim Allister - who had quizzed the officials at length in the hearing - issued a statement announcing that the DoF was making provision for the Victims Pension “after all”.

“After all the posturing and stand off it turns out that The Executive Office and Finance Minister has quietly provided for the Victims’ Pension in budgetary documents,” he said. “Tucked away at page 217 of the Spring Supplementary Estimates is a new provision for £430m.

“When, yesterday at the Finance Committee, I probed what this £430m was for, it eventually emerged from officials that it was indeed for the Victims’ Pension.”

He said the money should be paid to victims urgently.

The News Letter pressed the DoF throughout Thursday to comment on the situation. Eventually by 6pm the DoF finally conceded that it had made a mistake and that the £430m was indeed for victims - of historical institutional abuse.

“When appearing before the Finance Committee on 24 February, officials incorrectly advised that this related to Victims Pensions,” a spokesman said. “The Department has written to the Finance Committee to apologise for the error.”

Mr Jim Allister said he knew that the press had been chasing the DoF for comment in the wake of  his statement.

“Unbelievably, at 17:50 this evening, a letter was issued to members of the Finance Committee advising that the official had made a mistake and that the £430m is NOT for the Victims’ Pension Scheme but is rather for survivors of Historical Institutional Abuse.

“A better explanation than the one proffered in the letter - that it was an “unintentional error” - is required. Once again innocent victims have been let down. The prospect of the pension issue being resolved has been dangled before them only for it to be snatched away. What complete shambles.

“While no one would deny the survivors of institutional abuse the compensation to which they are entitled, for many it will serve to highlight the fact that there is NO provision for innocent victims of terrorism. This is absolutely shameful and totally unacceptable.”

Finance Minister Conor Murphy recently revealed that £200m of available funding was not allocated to departments this year. However DoF said the annual underspend would not be a viable source of funding for Troubles victims

“It is not anticipated that there will be any funding lost to the Executive as a result of underspend this year,” a Dof spokesman said. “However, the Victims Payment Scheme could be in place for 30 years or more. Therefore it is important that victims have certainty about the longer-term funding of the scheme rather than relying on potential underspend from one year to the next.”

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