A new Bill to repeal and replace the controversial Legacy Act has been announced by the UK Government.

The new Northern Ireland Troubles Bill aims to establish a "fair and transparent system" for families of all victims, including former service personnel, to seek answers about the Troubles.

The legislation follows a recent Joint Framework announced by the UK and Irish governments and includes:

• Immunity Scheme Axed: A draft Remedial Order was also introduced to remove the immunity scheme from the previous Legacy Act, which had proposed to allow terrorists to seek immunity from prosecution.

• Reformed Legacy Commission: The Bill will establish a reformed Legacy Commission (formerly the ICRIR) with enhanced investigative powers, strengthened governance, new conflict of interest duties, and a fairer disclosure regime.

• Cross-Border Cooperation: It paves the way for new information-sharing arrangements with Irish authorities, an action aimed at fulfilling an "unrealised ambition" of the Good Friday Agreement.

• New Information Retrieval Body: It establishes an Independent Commission for Information Retrieval (ICIR), jointly with the Irish Government and consistent with the Stormont House Agreement. This body's purpose is to privately receive information about individual cases for families, initially on a pilot basis, but it will not have powers to investigate.

• Inquests: The Bill allows a small number of inquests already started or stopped part-heard by the Legacy Act to resume. No fresh inquests will be started beyond those already in the system.

The Bill includes safeguards specifically for veterans who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, designed to prevent the process from becoming a "punishment" for those who served honourably: • Right to Stay at Home: A presumption in favour of remote evidence means veterans are not forced to travel to Northern Ireland to give evidence to the Commission or an inquest.

• Protection from Repeated Investigations: The Commission must not duplicate work from previous investigations unless there are compelling reasons to do so. An independent advisor will also be put forward to support investigations, removing the need for veterans to give unnecessary evidence on historical context.

• Protection in Old Age: Coroners and the Commission must consider the health and wellbeing of elderly witnesses, including whether it would be inappropriate for them to give evidence at all.

• Right to Anonymity: Any veteran seeking anonymity when giving evidence will now be guaranteed.

• Right to have Voices Heard: A statutory advisory group will be established to ensure the voices of all victims and survivors, including those from the armed forces and police, are heard.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, stated the purpose is to "help families who have waited too long to find answers" and deliver on the final part of the Good Friday Agreement.

He said: "The Government will now put into legislation the commitments that we have made both as part of the Joint Framework and to our Armed Forces veterans.

"The purpose of all this is to help families who have waited too long to find answers about what happened to their loved ones during the Troubles.

"This is our opportunity to deliver on this final part of the Good Friday Agreement and help Northern Ireland politics and broader society to find those answers and move forward."

The Minister for Armed Forces, Al Carns, said the Bill delivers "real, workable protections for veterans that the failed Legacy Act never did."

The Bill can found here.