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The Asset Freezing (Compensation) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist). The Bill received its first reading in the House of Lords on 23 May 2016, and is scheduled to receive its second reading on 10 June 2016. The Bill seeks to make provisions enabling the Government to use frozen assets that are owned by persons involved in supplying terrorist organisations in the UK to compensate UK citizens who are victims of those organisations.

For a number of years, the victims of IRA attacks carried out using materials supplied by the former Gaddafi regime have been seeking compensation. The House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is currently investigating the role of the UK Government in seeking compensation for the victims of such attacks. In addition, a Westminster Hall debate held on 23 February 2016 considered the issue of whether Gaddafi’s frozen assets could be used to compensate the victims of the IRA Canary Wharf bombing in 1996.

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