Mr. Mickey Brady:

I thank the witnesses for the presentation. I was going to ask what is the perspective of the witnesses on the Lord Chief Justice's request for funding and resources to clear the backlog of legacy inquests, as some people have been waiting for 46 years, but they have answered that question.

So-called welfare reform and its impact on victims and survivors has been mentioned. This is something I deal with as my background is welfare rights. It is having a huge effect on the population in general, but it will have a huge impact on victims and survivors where there is trauma, specific disabilities and mental health issues. It is not about reform but cuts, with regard to the disability living allowance, DLA, and the personal independence payment, PIP, and what has been going on. When I was in Westminster on Tuesday I met somebody who is a policy adviser to the disability groups there. The impact it is having there is magnified in the North, in particular with regard to victims and survivors. The system is basically ignoring some people who are severely disabled and it is important this issue is raised. It is something that needs to be constantly raised. We are still monitoring the impact on many people of the changeover from DLA to PIP. Historically we in the North have had higher rates of disability anyhow, but the conflict has certainly brought about specific cases that otherwise would not have happened. It is important that Ms Thompson has raised this issue. She mentioned approximately 500 people.