Secretary of State for Northern Ireland meets veterans and tours Northern Studios during visit to Hartlepool

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris met with Armed Forces veterans and heard of their experiences serving the country.

They also spoke about the Legacy Bill in a discussion which town MP Jill Mortimer described as “sobering and honest”.

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill would give immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences to people who co-operated with a truth recovery body.

It would also prevent future civil cases and inquests.

Mr Heaton Harris also joined Hartlepool MP Jill Mortimer and council leader Cllr Mike Young on a tour of the Hartlepool’s production village, which was awarded £16.5million of Levelling Up money back in January.

Commenting on the visit, Mr Heaton-Harris said: “It was brilliant to join Jill Mortimer MP and Cllr Mike Young on a tour of the production village that has been awarded £16.5 million of Levelling Up fund money.

“I know how hard Jill and the council worked to secure this funding which will bring big film and TV productions to the heart of Hartlepool, boosting the economy and creating high-skilled jobs.

“While in Hartlepool I had the privilege of meeting Armed Forces veterans and heard about their time serving our country.

"As some of the veterans I met had served in Northern Ireland we discussed the Legacy Bill currently going through Parliament.

"This Bill provides immunity to veterans who served in Northern Ireland from prosecution – it is a Conservative manifesto commitment that will end the threat of endless investigations into our veterans."

Read Jill Mortimer’s latest Mail column: Super fast fibre broadband brings great opportunities

About 16 veterans attended the meeting, which took place at the Heugh Battery Museum on Saturday, July 29.

The meet up was arranged with the help of Hartlepool Royal British Legion Branch chairman Sian Cameron.

Sian said the veterans were pleased to meet the secretary of state and were ‘grateful’ to be involved.

“It went really well,” she said. “It’s good to see that Hartlepool is now recognised at Government level.”

Mrs Mortimer added: "The Northern Ireland Minister paid a visit to Hartlepool last weekend, so I took him to see how we are going to spend the £16.6 Million Levelling Up Fund money – creating the Production Village and enhancing the film and TV studio here in Hartlepool.

“We then went for Tea with some of our veterans. The Minister spoke with them about their experiences in the armed forces and afterwards, including those sent to Northern Ireland during the troubles – they also discussed the Legacy Bill which is going through Parliament at the moment.

“It was a sobering and honest discussion, and I am enormously proud of and humbled by the men and woman of our town who gave so much to keep us safe."

The Legacy Bill is opposed by all major Stormont parties, the Irish Government and victims’ campaign groups. There have been concerns from bereaved families who fear the legislation will stop them from ever receiving justice.

The Government had wanted the legislation passed before Parliament went into recess, but was delayed after peers in the House of Lords introduced amendments.

Mr Heaton-Harris has previously said he is confident the Bill will receive royal assent in early September.