Although there has been an increased amount of coverage about this issue, it is important to say that this is not a new investigation. Police investigations are always a matter for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, who act independently of Government. There is a department for prosecutions, a criminal process to go through and a police service that must be allowed to pursue its inquiries.
That said, while I firmly believe in upholding the rule of law, I am concerned that investigations into Northern Ireland’s past focus almost entirely on former police officers and soldiers. This is wrong, and does not reflect the fact that the overwhelming majority of those who served did so with great bravery and distinction.
Ninety percent of the victims of the Troubles were as a consequence of terrorist interventions so it vitally important that these cases are examined in a proportionate way. It is for this reason that I support the Northern Ireland Secretary’s intention to move the legacy process into a public phase so we can ensure that the balance of investigations is rightly on the terrorists who caused so much devastation and suffering.