Mr. Campbell said: "The Prime Minister will be aware we''ve been pressing for some time for a pension for innocent victims of violence in Northern Ireland."

He asked Mr. Johnson: "Can he update the House on the programme made thus far and give an absolute assurance that those in receipt of such a pension are innocent victims and will not include those perpetrators who were injured by their own actions?"

The Prime Minister replied: "Obviously we have every sympathy for innocent victims of violence in Northern Ireland and we've been consistently clear that the principal that those who have sustained injuries - it must have happened through no fault of their own - that principal will be sustained throughout the negotiations."