To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many letters were sent to on-the-runs (a) between the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and December 2005 and (b) after December 2005.

On 27 February, the Prime Minister announced that a judge would be appointed to undertake an independent review to provide a full public account of the operation and extent of the administrative scheme for dealing with so called “on-the-runs” established by the previous Government. This will include a factual check of all letters issued. I expect the report to be provided to me by the end of May 2014 for the purpose of its full publication.