Lady Hermon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lady Hermon on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what records his Department holds on representations made by the Government to (a) the US Administration and (b) the Libyan government in 2008 about inclusion of compensation claims by victims of IRA/Libyan sponsored violence in the UK in the scope of the Libyan Claims Settlement Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

When it became clear in May 2008 that the US and Libya were proceeding on a bilateral agreement to settle outstanding claims, the UK Government made representations to the US and Libyan authorities to include UK victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism on the list of recipients. Unfortunately this proved not to be possible. The Libyans made clear that they had answered questions about their support for the IRA in 1995 and considered the matter closed.

We want to see a just solution for all of the victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism, and we remain determined to make progress. Once stability returns, and our embassy re-opens, we will again encourage the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims and their legal representatives seeking redress, including those seeking compensation.