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<p>Responsibility for policing and justice matters in Northern Ireland has been devolved
to the Northern Ireland Executive since April 2010. All decisions on prosecutions
are taken independently of Government and in accordance with the Code for Prosecutors.</p><p>
</p><p>As I have made very clear in a number of statements, I am concerned that the
existing mechanisms for investigating incidents which occurred during the Troubles
are disproportionately focused on the actions of the Armed Forces and former police
officers, rather than the terrorists who were responsible for 90 per cent of deaths.
This is wrong and it has to change. That is why this Government supports the full
and faithful implementation of the Stormont House Agreement, which would see a move
to a new system that would, under legal obligations, operate in ways that are fair,
balanced and proportionate. The proposed new institutions, set out in the Stormont
House Agreement, have a number of important advantages over the system currently in
place in Northern Ireland, including that they will consider deaths in chronological
order. This will ensure that outstanding investigations into terrorist murders, including
the murder of 185 soldiers, are investigated and evidential leads are pursued.</p>
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