Danny Kinahan MP, the Ulster Unionist member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, has said he is disappointed that the Government has indicated they will not implement a number of the key recommendations in the NIAC report on the administrative scheme for On the Runs. 

Danny Kinahan MP said: 

“The On the Runs administrative scheme will define a time when the Government in the United Kingdom was bending over backwards to appease Sinn Fein.  The public were quite rightly horrified to learn the lengths the Government of the day went to in order to keep those who had brought terror on society for decades on board. 

“I am sorry to see in the Government’s response to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report that some of the key recommendations will not be implemented by them. 

“The Ulster Unionist Party has been clear that all steps should be taken to prevent another situation arising were a “comfort letter” could prevent a successful prosecution.  On this matter the Government responded that a statement in the House by the Secretary of State on 9th September 2014 saying that the letters should not be relied on “was the fairest, promptest and most effective way to reduce the risk to future prosecutions”.  For me this still leaves ambiguity as to the possibility that a letter could collapse another trial in the future. 

“It is also deeply disappointing to see that the Government will not meet the recommendation to publish the names of those who received the Royal Prerogative of Mercy.  The numbers of those who received the RPM were staggering and coming as they did at a time when further details of the “comfort letters” scheme were emerging dealt a blow to public confidence in the justice system and elements of the Government. 

“I still believe it is important that the public know which terrorists received the Royal Prerogative of Mercy.  This Government should provide the transparency that previous Governments failed to.”