NI civil service head: Dispute over Troubles victims’ pension looks like ‘pass the parcel’

The dispute between London and Belfast over who will pay for a Troubles victims’ pension does look like “pass the parcel”, the interim head of Northern Ireland’s civil service said.
By Michael McHugh
Published 3rd Feb 2021, 17:24 BST
Jenny Pyper, interim head of the NI Civil ServiceJenny Pyper, interim head of the NI Civil Service
Jenny Pyper, interim head of the NI Civil Service

The allocation within next year’s draft budget for the Executive Office to cover implementation costs does not stretch to the actual payments.

Jenny Pyper took over from David Sterling in December and said she met with the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) regularly.

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She added: “It does sound like pass the parcel, I understand that, and that is very suboptimal from our perspective.”

The Victims’ Payment Scheme was given the green light at Westminster last year, and Stormont finance minister Conor Murphy said it should be paid for by London.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis believes Stormont is funded to deliver commitments including this scheme.

The UK Government has argued that significant extra funds have been granted since devolution was restored and it is for local ministers to decide how best to divide it up and which priorities to meet.

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The pension was designed to compensate those severely injured in the Troubles.

Recipients are to get between £2,000 and £10,000 a year for the rest of their lives and applications are due to open in March.

Ms Pyper also told her Executive Office scrutiny committee at Stormont that the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit remained her key focus.

The DUP has vowed to oppose the Northern Ireland Protocol, which has disrupted some post-withdrawal trade from Great Britain.

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Committee chairman Colin McGrath said: “I would urge the ministers in our Executive to tone their language down and to dial down the rhetoric and I urge everyone to take a long, deep breath before participating in the protocol debate.

“Let cool heads prevail and let the elected representatives – in problem solving mode, not problem-enhancing mode, do their work to seek solutions and resolutions to the issues identified some just a few short weeks old.”

Officials conducting physical checks on lorries arriving at Belfast and Larne ports from Scotland have been withdrawn following threats.

Mr McGrath said democratic methods were the only means to challenge Brexit problems.

He added: “Words are powerful and words have impact.”