Civil servant's refusal to appear at OTR probe sparks 'cover-up' fears

A Northern government official’s refusal to appear before a probe into the On The Runs (OTRs) scheme for fugitive IRA members will fuel fears of a cover up, an MP said.

A Northern Ireland Office civil servant who signed a letter which led to the collapse of the IRA Hyde Park bombing prosecution is not expected to give evidence to the department’s scrutiny committee on Wednesday despite being officially summoned, members of the scrutiny body said.