“However, I do not accept the PSNI assessment that they adequately briefed the Policing Board, of which Alliance was not represented on at the time, and that they did not believe it was necessary to brief the Minister of Justice or the Executive on this issue.
“Serious questions must be answered on the basis that it would appear the Northern Ireland Office and the UK Government designed a scheme that was obscured from public sight. Full disclosure and participation by all parties in the judge led inquiry is now vital to restore public confidence in the justice system and political process.
“These revelations show that making secret agreements through side deals is not the way to establish a sustainable peace. We must agree on a comprehensive mechanism to deal with the legacy of the past, which aims to improve access of victims and survivors to truth, justice and the support services they deserve.”
ENDS