Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey has stated that the days of being fobbed off are over following a meeting between the Parliamentary Libyan Support Group and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson MP on Wednesday afternoon to continue to press the case for compensation for the victims of Libyan supplied IRA Semtex.

Following the meeting, Lord Empey said:

“On Wednesday afternoon the Parliamentary Libyan Support Group met Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson MP to pursue the Group's main aim of seeking justice and compensation for victims of Gadaffi supplied Semtex which was exclusively used by the IRA during the terrorist campaign.

“The Group last met Mr Johnson on 11th October 2017 and were unhappy with some of the responses from the Foreign Office to our representations on behalf of the victims.

“Since October 2017, a number of developments have taken place; a) My Asset Freezing (Compensation) Bill passed through its remaining stages in the House of Lords on 7th February 2018: b) Letters were sent by the Group and individual MPs on 20th November 2017 setting out a detailed response to the Foreign Secretary's letter following our October meeting: c) a backbench debate took place on the floor of the House of Commons, replied to by Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt MP, on 10th May 2018 which saw support for the Group from all sides of the House: d) a letter was sent to the UK Government on 11th June 2018 by the Libyan Government, angry at a suggestion that frozen Libyan assets could be used by the UK government to compensate victims: e) The Asset Freezing Compensation (Compensation) Bill will be listed in the House of Commons on Friday 15th June and be moved by Group convener Andrew Rosindell MP.'

'The meeting with the Foreign Secretary yesterday was the most businesslike and positive so far. I think the Foreign Office finally get that the Group isn't going away, has received strong support on the floor of the Commons and is intensifying its drive to right this great wrong.

“Without going into any detail, I believe that Boris Johnson will take a step forward before the Parliamentary recess and review his Department's approach as well as that across Whitehall. This is a long overdue recognition by Government that they cannot go on dodging this issue, that the Group will not relent and that it is widely supported in both Houses of Parliament. The days of being fobbed off are over and I am hopeful that a breakthrough can occur this year that can set the scene for the future, and perhaps, at long last, bring a glimmer of hope to the long suffering victims of the Gadaffi years of torment.”