Abuse payout up to Executive: Bradley

IT would be “constitutionally inappropriate” if the Government stepped in to approve compensation payments to victims of historical abuse in Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley has reiterated.

The Northern Ireland Secretary also indicated she would consider any proposals from the head of the NI Civil Service as a result of the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry.

The inquiry, chaired by Sir Anthony Hart, was set up to examthe ine allegations of child abuse in children’s homes and other institutions here between 1922 and 1995. The collapse of devolution last year has led to a delay in implementing Sir Anthony’s findings.

North Down MP Lady Hermon raised the issue with Ms Bradley in the Commons.

Ms Bradley said: “In terms of the treatment of the victims of historical abuse, and she will know, as we all do, that we all wish to see those victims see the justice that they so rightly deserve. But she will also know that this was an inquiry set up by Executive, and it is therefore quite right that it should be, the recommendations dealt with by the Executive.

“It is a great shame that we don’t have an Executive to deal with these things. It would be constitutionally inappropriate for this House to determine the actions that should be taken in regards to those recommendations, because this House did not set up that inquiry. It was set up by the Executive and that is the right place for the recommendations to be considered and decisions taken about those recommendations.”