Soldiers and Victims
In their final week before the Assembly's summer break, a couple of unionist MLAs are bringing forward private bills which might pose some problems for politicians on the opposite side of the house. Today David McNarry's Armed Forces and Veterans Bill had its first reading. This is a technical stage at which the bill's title is read out but no debate ensues. However you can read Mr McNarry's bill Ending any disadvantage to members of the armed forces may be an uncontroversial objective in Great Britain. But how will Sinn Fein ministers respond to the section of the bill requiring their departments to "appoint a co-ordinator who will take responsibility for identifying and addressing matters which affect members of the armed forces, veterans and their families"?
On Wednesday the DUP's Peter Weir is due to introduce his Victims and Survivors (Disqualification) Bill. There is no text up on the Assembly website yet, but I understand this is essentially the proposal seeking to ensure that the perpetrators of violence in the past are not defined as victims.
UPDATE Tuesday 29th June: The DUP's Peter Weir has told my colleague Jim Fitzpatrick that he will not be moving his Victims Bill on Wednesday. It has been put back until a later date.
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