Ulster Unionist Party Justice Spokesperson, Doug Beattie MC MLA, has welcomed the launch of a five-week consultation process on the scheme to compensate innocent victims of the Troubles who have suffered serious physical or psychological injuries during the Troubles.
Doug Beattie MC MLA said:
“The Ulster Unionist Party welcomes the launch of the NIO’s short public consultation process on a Victims Payment scheme.
“We have consistently urged the Government to ensure that anyone who has been injured by their own hand should not benefit from the scheme, and we welcome the fact that the Government appears to have listened to us.
“We will be engaging in the consultation and encourage others to do so.
“We believe that steps need to be taken to ensure that people resident outside Northern Ireland – such as the Spanish schoolchildren who were injured by the Real IRA bomb at Omagh – should also be covered by this scheme.
“Another suggestion which we support is the establishment of an Appeals Panel to examine any Victims Payment scheme claims made by anyone involved in terrorist activity, whether they were injured directly by their own hand or by subsequent incidents while still involved in terrorist activities. This includes those who have serious criminal convictions as a result of a Troubles related offence, or who have openly admitted involvement in terrorist activity, whether they have been convicted or not.
“We are very clear that this must be a scheme for innocent victims, not for perpetrators.”