Committee publication · Correspondence · 26 November 2025
Correspondence from the Secretary of State relating to funding for legacy mechanisms, dated 20 November 2025.
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Inquiry: The Government's new approach to addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland
Summary
Secretary of State Hilary Benn writes to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Chair in follow-up to his October 2025 appearance, detailing UK Government funding commitments for legacy mechanisms. The Government commits £250m total (£150m under Stormont House Agreement, £100m under New Decade New Approach), plus £25m from the Irish Government. As of September 2025, £49.9m has been spent, predominantly on establishing and operating the Independent Commission on Reconciliation and Information Recovery.
Key findings
- UK Government pledges £250m total funding for legacy mechanisms: £150m allocated to Stormont House Agreement implementation and £100m under New Decade New Approach agreement
- Irish Government contributes additional £25m as part of Joint Framework on Legacy agreed in September 2025
- Expenditure to date stands at £49.9m as of September 2025, with majority spent on establishing and operating costs of the Independent Commission on Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR)
- ICRIR publishes Annual Report and Accounts publicly on its website for further transparency
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Hilary Benn, Tonia Antoniazzi, UK Government, Irish Government, Independent Commission on Reconciliation and Information Recovery
Notable line
“The UK Government will deliver on the funding for legacy mechanisms as previously agreed with the Treasury …”
Key Quotes
“The UK Government will deliver on the funding for legacy mechanisms as previously agreed with the Treasury, with a total envelope of £250m (£150m allocated to implement the Stormont House Agreement, and a further £100m allocated as part of the New Decade New Approach agreement).”
“… as of September 2025, this figure stands at a total of £49.9m”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗