Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the timetable is for the full implementation of the Hallett Report's recommendations; and if she will make a statement.

I made an oral statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday 9 September which dealt with some aspects of the implementation of the recommendations of the Hallett Report. My statement clarified that:

- This scheme has ended;

- Letters issued in whatever form do not represent any commitment that the recipient will not be investigated or prosecuted, if that is now considered appropriate by the responsible authorities;

- Those who received individual or composite letters indicating that they were ‘not wanted’ and who derived comfort from that, should cease to derive any such comfort;

- Recipients should cease to place any reliance on their letters;

- Decisions about investigation and prosecution in specific cases, now or in the future, will be taken on the basis of intelligence and/or evidence relating to whether or not the person concerned committed offences; and

- These decisions will be based on the views of those who now have responsibility for these matters. Their views may be the same as those that led to the letters being sent in the past, or they may be different.

In addition, the Northern Ireland Office has set up an ‘On the Runs’ Policy Oversight Board to oversee the implementation of the recommendations. In association with others, we will ensure that the Hallett Report recommendations are implemented with due care and in a timely manner.