My question relates to the failure of the Government to include in the most recent legislative programme the Bill promised to give effect to the central recommendation of the report of the working group to examine the disregard of convictions related to consensual sexual activity between men, which was welcomed last June by all, namely, that the legislation should be passed to allow for the disregard of those historic convictions.

Despite the passage of nearly 30 years since the repeal of the laws that criminalised thousands of men, we are still waiting for the draft Bill to exonerate them by lifting the criminal convictions cloud under which many have lived and died. When will the draft Bill be published so that we can expedite this matter?

The Minister is working on that legislation at the moment. We do not have a date yet for the publication but it is a legislative priority for the Department of Justice.