Statement
Following the passage of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation)
Act 2023, I am today establishing the Independent Commission for Reconciliation
and Information Recovery.
I hereby give notice of the Northern Ireland Office’s intention to seek a repayable
cash advance from the Contingencies Fund. The Department requires an advance of
£13,266,000 to meet the initial costs of the Independent Commission for
Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) on its full establishment. These
costs were included in the Northern Ireland Office’s budget for 2023/24 so this does
not represent additional spending. Accessing the Contingencies Fund will allow
ICRIR to undertake expenditure independently of the Department prior to
Parliamentary approval of changes to the Department’s Ambit at Supplementary
Estimate to recognise the full establishment of ICRIR.
Parliamentary approval for resources of £4,650,000 and capital of £10,088,000 for
this new expenditure will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for Northern Ireland
Office. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £13,266,000 will be
met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.