Troubles Bill will protect troops who served with honour

D espite the undeniable journey towards peace and progress since the Good Friday agreement, deep scars remain from the trauma of the Troubles. It’s not surprising. More than 3,500 people were killed between the late 1960s and 1998. And decades on, many still seek answers about the circumstances surrounding the death of their parent, child, sibling or spouse. That is why we are so committed to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill. By setting up a fair, workable system to deliver as many answers as possible, we will help communities to heal so that we can finally turn the page on one of the darkest periods in our recent history. Most commented 1 Tiger kills man who ‘jumped’ into pen at Yorkshire Wildlife Park 786 comments More than a quarter of the families seeking answers from the Legacy Commission are veterans’ families. Nearly one in five are the families of police officers. No one should be in any doubt how important this is. One woman has spoken of how she is still waiting for answers about her brother, who was killed in the M62 coach bomb more than half a century ago. Attorney-general given power to approve Troubles prosecutions An IRA bomb destroyed a coach carrying soldiers and civilians to Catterick barracks in February 1974. Eight soldiers, a woman and two children were killed CENTRAL PRESS/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES The search for truth and answers must never be hijacked by those seeking revenge in the name of justice. That is why, over the last few months, we have listened to veterans, victims’ groups, including those representing service families, and the wider defence community to hear their concerns. We are responding by making sure the Troubles Bill properly protects all those troops who served with honour. Advertisement Under the previous government’s scheme, terrorists would have enjoyed the same immunity as veterans — something so abhorrent it should never have been considered in the first place. And so we will not only repeal it, we will make clear — in black and white — that there is no equivalence between paramilitaries, who waged campaigns of violence, murder and destruction, and the lawful actions of our armed forces sent to stop them. Don’t leave us in a ‘spiral of lawfare’, Troubles veterans tell MPs For too long, our servicemen and women have had to fear the knock at the door, the call from an unknown number or the ping of an email notification, as they bear the brunt of incidents being reinvestigated years or decades after the events in question. The bill spells out that there can be no duplication of previous investigative processes unless it is essential, and that witnesses cannot be contacted unless it has been clearly demonstrated that there is compelling new evidence. Nor will veterans be forced to traipse to Northern Ireland to attend hearings. And any decision to prosecute a serious Troubles-related crime will now require the consent of the attorney-general. Politics newsletter Get our daily insider’s guide to Westminster, plus a rundown of PMQs every Wednesday. Sign up with one click You’ve successfully signed up to the Politics newsletter Explore our newsletters An error occurred. Please use the link below. Politics newsletter Explore our newsletters The situation in Northern Ireland has improved beyond all recognition. But as recent events show , there are still issues to be resolved and, until they are, old sores will continue to fester. The amended Troubles Bill is another step forward on the path to a lasting peace. It gives survivors, victims and families a means to find the answers and acknowledgment they need. And it gives the men and women who served so valiantly the legal protection they are owed. This government will never allow our soldiers to find themselves in this position again and we will legislate to make sure of it.