The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent) (Lab)

My Lords, I place on record my personal thanks to both the noble Lord, Lord Caine, and the noble Baroness, Lady Suttie, for the tone of their contributions. When we discuss anything related to the Troubles, there is an onus on all of us to remember each anniversary, each unnecessary death and each moment of heartbreak. Today, as with every calendar day, is another heartbreaking anniversary—an event that touched several Members of your Lordships’ House—that of the Brighton bomb. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and survivors of that day, of the 1978 PIRA bombing of the Belfast-to-Dublin train and of the 1992 PIRA bombing of the Sussex Arms pub. There is never a day without an anniversary. Today, we are here to discuss yet another tragedy. With the leave of the House, I want to pay tribute to the extraordinary grace and dignity that Robert Hamill’s family have shown over the 29 years since he was murdered. Grieving a loved one is hard enough, but grieving for someone violently killed, without clear answers for decades, causes immense pain. I send them my heartfelt sympathy and, I am sure, that of your Lordships’ House. As with every incident from the Troubles, we should reiterate the facts. It is all too often the case when we consider the history of the Troubles that the facts are bleak. In the early morning of 27 April 1997, a 25 year-old Catholic man, Robert Hamill, was violently attacked by a group of Protestants in Portadown near a parked RUC Land Rover. He suffered severe head injuries and died in hospital 11 days later. The inquiry confirms that Robert was killed solely because he was Catholic. The path to this report has been plagued by delay, as both Members of your Lordships’ House have raised. Established in 2004 under Sir Edwin Jowitt, publication was deferred pending criminal proceedings, which concluded in 2024 with the conviction of former RUC officer Robert Atkinson for perverting the course of justice. To answer the noble Lord, Lord Caine, yes, I share the views of the judge. Sir John Evans was subsequently appointed chair to finalise the report. As the noble Lord rightly raised, I acknowledge that the 15-year delay since the inquiry’s initial completion was far too long, but I am so pleased for the family that it has finally been published. Regarding RUC conduct, the inquiry majority found that officers in the Land Rover were not guilty of acts or omissions facilitating Robert’s death, nor did they condone or collude with attackers. However, the inquiry identified a disturbing catalogue of wrongful omissions and failings during the initial investigation. These omissions included failure to carry out an initial debriefing both at the scene and immediately upon return to the police station, with multiple officers finishing their shifts or going on to other duties without recording what had happened. This had a serious and significant impact on the murder investigation, and these omissions were negligent. There was failure to carry out a full debriefing of all officers who had been at the scene once it became clear that Robert Hamill’s injuries were life threatening; this omission was negligent. There was a wrongful omission by two officers to supply relevant information in relation to an individual they had seen at the scene; this inhibited and obstructed the investigation and was, in the case of one officer, negligent, and, in the case of the other, deliberate. Crucially, the inquiry found that former officer Robert Atkinson tipped off a suspect, leading to the destruction of evidence, and later conspired to cover up his actions. This conduct resulted in his 2024 criminal conviction. It is deeply disturbing that an individual who so egregiously failed his duty and acted criminally carried an RUC badge for years. Noble Lords will be aware that the communities of Portadown have again been at the centre of discussions in recent weeks. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State was on his feet in the other place today making a Statement about these events, which I am sure we will repeat in the coming days. Today, all I wish to say is that parading has a deep and cultural significance to many in Northern Ireland and, thankfully, the vast majority of parades pass off peacefully. In some cases, and none more so than the Drumcree parade, there are deep anxieties and traumas stemming from previous violence that cannot be expunged from memory. I will not be setting out the technical details of decision-making due to the ongoing court proceedings, but noble Lords should have the opportunity to discuss recent events in more detail in the coming days. The report we are discussing today is a stark reminder of the long shadow of the Troubles and the many families who still await answers. The peace delivered by the Belfast/Good Friday agreement must never be taken for granted. We must remain committed to reconciliation and overcoming sectarian division. I turn to the specifics that noble Lords asked about. The noble Lord, Lord Caine, rightly asked how we deliver, not only through the prism of public inquiries, answers for the families that are still waiting. Let us be clear: there are still far too many families, both victims and survivors, who need information. ICRIR is a very important tool. Noble Lords will be aware that we will discuss in your Lordships’ House, probably over many hours, the strengthening of ICRIR to become the legacy commission. I was very pleased to see the report about Rory O’Kelly from the commission. We now have something tangible that we can discuss in terms of next steps. I want to put on record what the noble Baroness, Lady Suttie, raised about the family. The Secretary of State spoke to Robert’s sister, Diane, just before publication. The family has acted with a huge level of grace and dignity in what I can only imagine are heartbreaking times, both on every anniversary but also in recent days. The news will have been hard for them and we will continue doing what we can to support them. Any future or ongoing murder inquiry still remains a matter for PSNI unless it is referred to the legacy commission at any point. I reiterate the words of both noble Lords about the bravery of the RUC. I had the privilege of attending the National Police Memorial Day commemoration in Belfast only two weeks ago, where everyone was reminded quite how dangerous it was to be a police officer in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. There was nowhere in the world more dangerous than in Northern Ireland, including Colombia. Noble Lords spend a great deal of time talking about matters pertaining to conflict far away, but it was incredibly unsafe to be a police officer in Northern Ireland. I am so grateful to those who put on a uniform then and now for everything they do to keep everyone safe both here and there. In conclusion, I extend my personal gratitude to the chairs and panel of the inquiry. Copies of the report are laid in the Libraries of both Houses and published online. As the murder file remains open and no one has been convicted of Robert Hamill’s murder, our heartfelt respects remain with his family.