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<p>When the Government took office in May 2010, we allowed the administrative scheme
to deal with so-called ‘on the runs’ established by the previous administration in
2000 to continue. We did this on the basis that the letters issued under the scheme
did not confer immunity, exemption or amnesty from prosecution. In August 2012, the
then-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Attorney-General decided that it
would not be appropriate for the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) to accept any new cases,
and that any fresh cases should be referred directly to the devolved police and prosecuting
authorities. No letters have been issued by the NIO since December 2012, and on 7
March 2014 the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland confirmed the scheme was an
end. On publication of the Hallett Report on 17 July 2014, the Secretary of State
repeated that, as far as this Government are concerned, the scheme is over.</p><p>In
response to the recommendation in the Hallett report to confirm whether any element
of the ‘on the runs’ scheme still exists, the Secretary of State made clear in her
statement of 9 September 2014 that the scheme is now at an end. Recipients of letters
under the scheme should not place any reliance on them as a protection against prosecution
should the required evidential tests be met.</p><p> </p>
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