Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Armed Forces in response to the question from the hon. Member for South Suffolk during the Urgent Question on Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Armed Forces Recruitment and Retention of 5 January 2026, Official Report, column 63, how many of the five protections for veterans in the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will also apply to alleged paramilitaries.

The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill introduces five protections that have been specifically designed for veterans. Some of these protections apply universally, including to all other former members of the security forces, recognising their service. The Government has been clear that no former Paramilitaries may be part of the Legacy Commission’s Victim and Survivor Advisory Group.