Scrutiny of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill began in the previous parliamentary session, but it did not pass all its legislative stages.
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it → begin → stages
It passed 304 votes in favour to 179 against – majority 125.
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It → pass → majority
However, opposition MPs criticised the lack of time being given to examine the more than 100 amendments that have been put forward by the Government, with the shadow Northern Ireland secretary Alex Burghart branding the Bill “a mess”.
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secretary → criticise → Bill
The shadow minister said: “That mess is attested to by the fact that we are still debating it when it was introduced a year ago tomorrow, and we have yet to breach committee stage.
“
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we → say → stage
It is attested to by the fact that we are debating a carryover motion tonight for the second time.
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we → attest → time
“It is attested to by the fact that the Government in April told us that it was going to submit its amendments after six months of delay, but only published them yesterday, after another six months, and just look at them: 144 Government amendments now making a pack of about 300 – 119 pages.
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it → attest → pages
“This is a mess in the process of becoming a bigger mess.”
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This → become → process
Paul Kohler, the Liberal Democrats’ Northern Ireland spokesman, said only giving the House one week to examine the amendments before discussion at committee stage raises “serious concerns about scrutiny”.
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giving → say → scrutiny
DUP leader Gavin Robinson also said: “I think it is deeply unfortunate for victims, for innocent victims, and for veterans to have but a week to consider and to comprehend the import of the amendments, scores of them, 60 additional pages in this book, and to understand the impact that will have on their quest and their rightful quest for truth and for justice.”
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that → say → justice
Tory former minister Sir David Davis demanded the Government “drop this evil Bill and start again”.
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Government → demand → Bill
“This vexatious use of lawfare is designed with one intent: it is to represent the behaviour of IRA killers, murderers, vicious psychopathic murderers, as somehow liberators, heroes, by destroying the reputations of our own soldiers,” he said.
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he → design → soldiers
However, Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood (Lagan Valley) called for politicians to “stop playing games”.
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politicians → call → games
She said: “This is not perfect.
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This → say → ?
The matter in which it’s being done is far from perfect.
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it → do → which
“But people have died.
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people → die → ?
People have died waiting.
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People → die → ?
I’m not going to stand in the way of any family.”
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I → go → family
He said: “I don’t think we can ever really build a strong future for Northern Ireland unless we fully understand the past, and understanding the past means making sure that we get answers for people.”
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we → say → people
Amendments put forward by the Government include one giving the UK Attorney General final say on whether Troubles-related prosecutions should go ahead.
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prosecutions → put → say
This will bypass the devolution settlement, meaning Stormont’s own Attorney General, Dame Brenda King, will have no role in any decision.
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General → bypass → decision
Northern Ireland has appointed its own attorney general since 2010.
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Ireland → appoint → 2010
The UK Government said there was “precedent” for the approach including on national security matters.
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Government → say → matters
The Northern Ireland Office said it would reduce the chances of “rinse and repeat” duplicate investigations.
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it → say → investigations
The Bill overhauls the previous Conservative government’s Legacy Act, which aimed to draw a line under the conflict and legal cases which have followed.
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which → overhaul → conflict
The Act established an investigative body aimed at uncovering information and giving closure to the families of those killed in the Troubles.
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Act → establish → Troubles
However it was widely panned by different communities in Northern Ireland for offering conditional immunity from prosecution to those who shared information about crimes they were involved in
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they → pan → crimes
The Aporia
