Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to remarks by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 14 October (HC Deb cols 246–7), why the Advocate General is specified in the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill as the individual responsible for stopped inquests.

The reference in the Bill to the Advocate General for Northern Ireland reflects their specific role in relation to Northern Ireland. However, we have made clear this is a function that may be exercised by the Solicitor General for England and Wales in accordance with section 2 of the Law Officers Act 1997.