Written question asked by Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party) on Wednesday, 22 April 2020, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 6 May 2020. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Thursday, 30 April 2020 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Libya: Terrorism

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Interior Minister of the government of Libya about (1) frozen Libyan assets, and (2) the provision of compensation to victims of IRA bombings that used Semtex and other material support supplied by the Gaddafi regime.

Answer: The UK is committed to supporting the victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism and wishes to see a just settlement for all victims. In March 2019 the former Foreign Secretary appointed William Shawcross as the UK's Special Representative on UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism. We have also raised the issue of a just settlement with the Libyan authorities. The Government has a longstanding position of not pursuing government-to-government negotiations with Libya on behalf of victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism, though we continue to provide support to the victims, their representatives and campaign groups, and we continue to press the Libyan authorities to engage constructively on this issue. Libyan assets in the UK were frozen under UN Security Council Resolution 1973 at the instigation of the Libyan authorities in 2011. These assets can only be unfrozen by gaining the agreement of all members of the UN Security Council.

Secondary information