Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Lady Hermon (Ulster Unionist Party). It was answered on Wednesday, 29 June 2005 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Grand Committee.

The Disappeared

Question: I am most grateful to the Minister for her helpful reply. Will she kindly confirm that the remit of the expert will be extended to include the search for my young constituent Lisa Dorrian, who was murdered four months ago—it is believed by loyalist paramilitaries—but whose body has still not been recovered?

Answer: I have seen the young lady's parents on television and read about them in the press, and I have enormous sympathy for the trauma they have suffered. Unfortunately, I cannot satisfy the hon. Lady because the commission's remit is limited by statute to considering only cases from before April 1998. If we were to include the case of Lisa Dorrian, we would have to change primary legislation and an international agreement. However, as a ministerial team, we fully understand her parents' desire to find out what happened, and my colleagues and I, working with the responsible agencies, will do whatever we can to help them.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: NIGC c6
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons Grand Committees
Subjects: Forensic science Homicide Northern Ireland Proscribed organisations Terrorism Victims Location of Victims Remains Independent Commission Dorrian, Lisa