Meeting of the Parliament 28 June 2023
This is an opportunity for the Parliament to consider a supplementary legislative consent motion on the UK Government’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill.
The UK Government first introduced the bill on 17 May 2022, saying that its proposals were to implement a range of measures that sought to address the legacy of the Northern Ireland troubles. The bill includes provisions to establish a new independent body—the independent commission for reconciliation and information recovery—limit criminal investigations, legal proceedings, inquests and police complaints; extend the prisoner release scheme in the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998; and provide for experiences to be recorded and preserved and for events to be studied and memorialised.
After consideration of the bill, the Scottish Government concluded that a legislative consent memorandum should be lodged in the Scottish Parliament due to the impact that the bill would have on devolved areas of competence, with the recommendation that consent be refused.