Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
3 September 2025
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Northern Ireland Affairs Committee House of Commons
15:39 - 16:23
Speaker 1
Order. Order. Welcome to the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee session on the government's new approach to addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland. And I'd like to welcome the Right Honourable Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Julie Harrison, Permanent Secretary to the Northern Ireland Office; and Sharon Carter, Deputy Director of the Legacy Group in the Northern Ireland Office. So, thank you for your time today.
Secretary of State, in April, it was reported that an agreement between the UK and Irish government could be reached within weeks. We're now in September. What has caused the delay, and what is the expected timeline now for any agreement?
16:24 - 17:40
Speaker 2
Well, we've been waiting 27 years to make progress on legacy. I mean, this is the unfinished business of the Good Friday Agreement. Those who negotiated that extraordinary document recognized it needed to be looked at, but they were not able to do so at the time. And there have been many attempts since, including the Legacy Act, which has, in a number of respects, to be unpicked; hence the government's commitment to repeal and replace. I would say I think we're close to being in a position to announce an agreement.
If I can just say, I've been clear from the start, and it impacts the discussions that we've been having with the Irish government, the tournament, and Simon Harris in particular. I mean, I want arrangements that are going to deliver effective investigations for families. For me, if you ask, what is the one thing that we're looking to try and achieve? It's answers for families. I met so many families who say we still do not know what happened and therefore are capable of commanding support across communities.
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