Brandon Lewis says British veterans who participated in the North will be treated the same as those who acted in other conflicts

"Pleased to set out today a new way forward for legacy of the past in Northern Ireland which puts reconciliation for victims first and ensures equal treatment of UK veterans who served during the Troubles as those who served overseas," he said.

Mr. Lewis said the new approach for dealing with the legacy of the past would involve the establishment of "a new independent body focused on providing information to families and swift examinations of all unresolved deaths from the Troubles".

He also said the the British Government would put an "end to the cycle of reinvestigations that has failed victims and veterans for too long" and that it would ensuring that "Northern Ireland veterans receive equal treatment to their counterparts who served overseas".

The Secretary of State said the new independent body will conduct swift, final examinations of all the unresolved deaths.

Only those cases where there is "new compelling evidence and a realistic prospect of a prosecution will be investigated", he revealed, and once cases have been considered there will be" a legal bar on any future investigation occurring".

"This will end the cycle of reinvestigations for the families of victims and veterans alike," the British Government said.

Mr. Lewis said: "Victims who suffered unimaginable pain as a result of the Troubles are at the heart of our approach to help Northern Ireland move on from its past towards a brighter future.

"I hope that by giving as many families as possible information on how their loved ones lost their lives, we can help ease the difficult process of reconciliation.

"We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our Armed Forces for their service in Northern Ireland. That’s why these proposals also put an end to repeated reinvestigations where there is no new compelling evidence and deliver on our promise to protect veterans from vexatious claims."