THE FAMILY of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane, who was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries, have been invited to meet Northern Secretary Owen Paterson about their demands for an inquiry into allegations of British intelligence collusion in his death, but Mr Paterson has once again ruled out “costly and open-ended” Bloody Sunday-type investigations.
Facing questions in the House of Commons from Labour MP Meg Hillier, Mr Paterson said there had been “a long-running exchange” between his predecessor, Labour’s Shaun Woodward, and the family.
“Before I explain how I propose to approach this question, I want to hear the views of the Finucane family for myself. I have written to the family to invite them to meet me,” he said.
Saying that she was unclear about British policy, Ms Hillier said prime minister David Cameron had said on the day the Bloody Sunday report was published that the British government did not favour a repetition of the Saville inquiry but that “of course we should look at each case on its merits”.
She told Mr Paterson: “I am not sure – and I wonder whether the family of Pat Finucane are sure – which of those positions holds true for that case.”
However, Democratic Unionist Lagan Valley MP, Jeffrey Donaldson said there was “no bar” to an inquiry taking place, but the Finucane family was “looking for some kind of special provision. If the Right Honourable gentleman grants that, the danger is that he will create a hierarchy of victims, and that thousands of people who have not had justice will look on and wonder why they are not getting the same justice,” he told the Secretary of State.
Responding to Labour MP Paul Farrelly, Mr Paterson said Northern Ireland “needs to look ahead, but the people of Northern Ireland need to work together, and solutions for dealing with the past and looking ahead must be agreed among those who lead the country at local level. We cannot have solutions being imposed from above”.
Questioned by Alliance Belfast East MP Naomi Long about yesterday’s report from the Commission for Victims and Survivors, the Secretary of State said it would “form part of our listening exercise. As I have said, we will be going round talking and listening to various groups, but I repeat – for the nth time in this question session – that we cannot impose.
“It is up to people in Northern Ireland to work together to decide a strategy going forward,” he said.
The Stormont Assembly was due to debate victims’ issues yesterday, the last day of the current term but the debate is being rescheduled and will most likely be held in September.