Clause 1 - Offences to which the Act applies
Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill
6:15 pm
David Hanson (Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office; Delyn, Labour)
Later in our consideration of the Bill, we will discuss the procedure under which cases will—if clause 1 remains as it is—come before the special tribunal and people will be charged with and convicted of committing horrendous crimes against the community and specific individuals. The justice will come. Under the proposals, individuals who have not been convicted of any crime in Northern Ireland will potentially be convicted. They will face justice in the courts; they will face a criminal sentence and a release on licence under conditions that we will discuss later. I cannot escape the fact that individuals who are convicted will be released on licence, because that is the nature of the scheme that I am bringing before thed¤Committee and the House on behalf of the Government. However, justice will come for those whose relatives have been murdered, but who have not yet seen an individual convicted for that crime. Under the scheme, those responsible will be convicted, sentenced to life imprisonment and, yes, released on licence.