Publication of the Police Ombudsman’s Report on the Kingsmill Massacre

That this House notes the publication of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland’s report into the Kingsmill massacre of 5 January 1976, in which ten Protestant workmen were brutally murdered by the IRA; acknowledges the courage and enduring dignity of the sole survivor, Mr Alan Black, whose testimony and persistence have been instrumental in the pursuit of justice; expresses deep concern at the findings of the report which highlight the inadequate police investigation that followed the atrocity; further recognises the Ombudsman’s conclusions regarding systemic failings and lost investigative opportunities; regrets the prolonged decade delay in the publication of the report, in part due to the withholding of vital information by the Irish Government; and calls on all relevant authorities, both in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, to cooperate fully and transparently in any ongoing or future efforts to secure accountability and justice for the victims and their families.