Speeches by Hanna.

“You built Kenova, and it is associated with, I suppose, a degree of confidence from families that other investigations did not have. Would you agree with Baroness O’Loan’s written comments that ICRIR has been “widely rejected”?”

“There is a lot in all of that about the draft reports not being passed back from last August. Perhaps you have all been very committed to protecting national security and been very professional, but it appears that it is over the potential disclosure of the name of the agent known as Stakeknife. You have committed to n…”

“I completely understand that, and I am making the point that you have at no point attempted to overstep that. You expressed frustration last year that none of a dozen or more perpetrators, against whom there was strong and compelling evidence, were going to be prosecuted, and then further information became available a…”

“I think we are all desperately trying to look forward, but some of this stuff is so egregious, as well as current and relevant to what we are talking about. We have heard in evidence that scaling up Operation Kenova would be the most cost effective and powerful way of addressing legacy. Could you briefly address how th…”

“Q2. Today, the Trump Administration will announce new tariffs that will hurt working people in the US and around the world. Does the Prime Minister agree that, at a time when big tech has grown fat by corrupting our politics and preying on young people, the wrong approach would be to pander to his bullying tactics and …”

“Sandra, do you have views on the viability of separating it, and what that would mean for families as they seek either of those two outcomes?”

“I want to come back to the issue of separating the truth-seeking and the investigative processes. The Government are saying that they will pursue some of the successful elements, or the perceived successful elements, of Stormont House. What benefit would that have?”

“You are referring to people with an RUC background. Do you have any thoughts on a conflict of interest policy? Would that need to be addressed up front in terms of people’s perceptions of people who investigated—or failed to investigate—first time around having second dibs? Do you think that can be mitigated, and would…”

“And parties.”

“Sandra, do you have any suggestions—a conflict of interest policy or internationalisation, perhaps—for ways that a reformed body could feel more independent? I suppose some of it comes down to the original plumbing of it, and how material is achieved and signed off, but is there anything to add to that?”

“I want to ask briefly about the independence of ICRIR. Could you outline how the appointments process affected confidence in the body, and how any new or reformed body could do that better?”

“Some colleagues will pick up on Kenova. Kenny, you have spoken about the profile of the cases that your organisations deal with, and the desirability of an individual name rather than a corporate narrative. What accountability and verification mechanisms do you think can exist for non-state actors? Have you had any con…”

“Do you have any confidence in the exploration of what those verification measures could be?”

“Could you quantify it?”

“I want to ask about the new parcel requirements from the end of this month, which you have already touched on briefly, Nichola. How prepared are businesses and carriers for that? How has the communication about the new requirements been?”

“Anne-Marie, I am sure the NI Consumer Council has heard from a lot of very small businesses and recipients who have faced challenges so far. How do you think people are prepared for it? How have the communications been?”

“Jennifer, did you want to add anything to that?”

“Looking to the bigger wins, for those challenges that your businesses are facing, and the others you have discussed with us today, how would an EU-UK veterinary and SPS agreement mitigate or change that for you?”

“Unfortunately, we went through a few years where senior politicians enjoyed saying, “We do not care about the rules. The rules are really boring. All this red tape is stifling businesses.” That undermined confidence in biosecurity and other standards and rules, certainly for Britain. Nichola, would that affect your mem…”

“Groot.”