NI Troubles: 'Substantial amendments' to be made to legacy law

The government is to bring forward a "substantial package of amendments" to its Troubles legacy legislation, the Northern Ireland secretary has said. Hilary Benn said the proposed changes were "designed to improve the process" for victims and "further safeguard" veterans. The bill was introduced at Westminster last year following agreement on a joint framework with the Irish government. It aims to repeal and replace the previous Conservative government's legislation, but some MPs have questioned its contents and how long it has taken to progress. The secretary of state said there was a "clear need" for parliament to "have longer to scrutinise" the amendments. Labour's bill seeks to replace the contentious Legacy Act, which introduced a ban on inquests and civil actions related to Troubles-era incidents. The new plan involves a Legacy Commission to investigate Troubles-related killings, a separate information recovery body, and a dedicated legacy unit within An Garda Síochána (Irish police). A package of protections for veterans has also been proposed by the UK government. But some MPs, including Northern Ireland MPs, have said the measures do not go far enough and want to amend the