Ulster Unionist Policing Board member, Ross Hussey, and Justice Spokesperson, Tom Elliott, have responded to the publication of an HMIC report into the role and function of the PSNI Historical Enquiries Team.

Ross Hussey stated;

‘The Policing Board considered this report in detail this morning and all 20 recommendations have been accepted. Work will be on-going to ensure that the issues raised by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary will be acted on.’

‘However, I did make the point during proceedings that some 2,535 incidents fall within the HET’s remit with a total of more than 3,268 victims. The cases with State involvement therefore must be viewed as part of a much wider remit which the HET have to operate within. Much of the concern also relates to a period between 1970 and 1973 and must be viewed in the context of the time.’

Tom Elliott said;

‘Every killing which occurred during the Troubles should be investigated with impartiality.

However, this particular focus solely on incidents with state involvement will be alarming to those in our society who are only too aware that, accordingly to the Lost Lives volume, republican paramilitaries were responsible for 2,148 deaths during the Troubles; by far and away the vast bulk of the violence.’

‘I am familiar through my own dealings as an MLA at a constituency level with the HET that a number of investigations of republicans have been wholly ineffective with little or no attempt made to follow up or interview suspects or witnesses. The investigations of the HET therefore needs to be considered in the context of all investigations.’

‘The Ulster Unionist Party has been clear for some time that the mechanisms which are currently in place to deal with the past operate, on the whole, in an imperfect and imbalanced manner with some using it as a means to attempt to rewrite history painting the State and agents of the State as villains. That is not something which will be allowed to happen.’