The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is currently facing 941 outstanding civil claims related to incidents that occurred in Northern Ireland before the 1998 Belfast Agreement, according to Defence Minister Lord Coaker.
The figures were revealed in response to a parliamentary question from Baroness Hoey.
The MoD has paid out significant sums in settlements and damages over the past five financial years:
- 2019-20: £1,391,428.50
- 2020-21: £665,514.00
- 2021-22: £2,659,712.00
- 2022-23: £3,890,281.00
- 2023-24: £3,953,832.00
These payments indicate a substantial rise in settlements in recent years, nearly tripling since 2020-21. In addition to settlements, the MoD has also incurred increasing legal costs, both in covering claimants’ legal fees and funding its own legal defence.
- Claimants’ legal costs:
- 2019-20: £575,193.77
- 2020-21: £593,329.72
- 2021-22: £784,568.20
- 2022-23: £3,418,922.39
- 2023-24: £2,560,995.61
- MoD’s internal legal costs:
- 2019-20: £77,626.03
- 2020-21: £78,811.07
- 2021-22: £222,520.62
- 2022-23: £157,161.76
- 2023-24: £358,036.87
The data shows a sharp increase in legal expenditure from 2021-22 onwards, particularly in claimants’ legal costs, which surged past £3.4 million in 2022-23 before dropping slightly last year.
The continued financial burden of these legacy cases highlights the ongoing legal complexities surrounding historical incidents from The Troubles, as efforts to settle claims continue amid wider discussions on Northern Ireland’s post-conflict legal framework.
Clear evidence the legal ‘profession’ are milking the system again.
Its a bit one sided. Sinn Fein and the IRA should pay up for their misdeeds too.
Quite why we need to pay Irish Republican terrorists is beyond me…the legal profession will literally be the death of the UK. Don’t they teach ethics on university legal courses? I think the primary issue here is giving foreign nationals access to legal aid.