Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has called on the Secretary of State to move quickly to ensure the recommendations of the Hart Inquiry report into historical institutional abuse are delivered upon.

She said: “I have become aware the Head of the Civil Service has now written to the Secretary of State, advising the Executive Office has now processed the consultation responses to the two draft pieces of legislation, and have encouraged her to proceed.

“There is cross-party support for the delivery of the redress scheme and the establishment of the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Abuse Office to oversee its delivery and other aspects of Sir Anthony Hart’s recommendations.

“The victims and survivors now need justice and they need closure, so I am calling on the Secretary of State to do the right thing and source the funding, and put the appropriate structure in place without any further delay.”