Theresa Villiers indicates some of Troubles legacy may be released

Theresa Villiers has indicated she is willing to release some of the £150m (€192m) earmarked for dealing with the legacy of the Troubles.

The Northern Ireland secretary came under pressure from Labour to ensure the Police Service of Northern Ireland and coroners office receive extra funding to help deal with responsibilities connected to the conflict.

Ms Villiers told the House of Commons she will take “very seriously” a request to provide cash for inquests if a “credible” reform package is put together.

An agreement on how to deal with the past has not been reached despite progress in other areas of policy.

Ms Villiers made the remarks during the second reading of the Northern Ireland (Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan) Bill. The proposed legislation seeks to implement parts of two political deals aimed at protecting the North’s faltering power-sharing administration.

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker, addressing legacy issues, said victims must be at the heart of any agreements.

He called for an “urgent look” at the resources available to the PSNI and the coroners service to support investigations and speed up inquests, noting: “More and more delay for victims is unacceptable.”