Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his Libyan counterparts on compensation for UK victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism.

The UK Government reiterates its sympathy for UK victims of Qaddafi-sponsored terrorism and indeed all victims of the Troubles. It is important that the UK Government pursues fairness and consistency in the provision of support to victims of terrorism and access to publicly funded compensation schemes. The UK's position with regards to victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism is that it is the responsibility of the Libyan Government to provide compensation. The UK Government cannot lawfully use frozen Libyan assets to provide compensation to victims as doing so would break international law and our obligations as members of the UN. We will continue to press the Libyan authorities to address the Libyan State's historic responsibility for the Qaddafi regime's support for the IRA.