Lord Murphy of Torfaen (Lab)

My Lords, I remind the House that I was 22 years younger when I commissioned this report. That was a long time ago. It was one of four inquiries that took place as a result of Weston Park: Nelson, Wright, Finucane and Robert Hamill. The reason they all came together was to try to bring all the community together in understanding what had happened in the past. But it has been an absolutely inordinate length of time. I really do feel very sorry for the family and all the people involved in this. I do hope it brings them closure. At the same time, there is a lesson to be learned from this, and I hope it will be a lesson that people in that part of Northern Ireland where there are currently community tensions will heed. The purpose of this report, of this inquiry, was to try and ease tension and try to deal with sectarianism, and I think it has done that. Inquiries are not always the answer, but in this case it will bring that closure. It will also remind people of what can happen when sectarianism is at its worst, bringing murder, mayhem and misery. It is a reminder. I hope everybody in Northern Ireland involved in the current issues will remember what happened to Robert Hamill and to all those involved in sectarian tension.