Abuse survivors, part of the Panel of Experts on Redress, met Mr Brokenshire today at Stormont House, where they provided him with a 30-page document and letter calling for action and a start to negotiations with victims. The briefing paper is based on widespread consultation with abuse victims across Northern Ireland.

Margaret McGuckin, one of the members of the Panel of Experts on Redress, who suffered abuse as a child at Nazareth House children’s home, said: “Today we put the Secretary of State on notice that we expect urgent action from him to establish a redress scheme which meets the needs of victims, should Stormont not be up and running again after the summer.

“Victims of child abuse have been waiting their whole lives for justice. Now they have been hit with further uncertainty and no government, just when they need it most. For abuse survivors, justice delayed truly is justice denied. That is why the UK government must deliver if the Northern Ireland government cannot.

“Right now, we need officials from The Executive Office to sit down with victims to co-design a redress scheme which meets the needs of survivors, rather than simply relying on the recommendations in the Inquiry report, which fall short in a number of significant ways.”

As well as Ms McGuckin, Mr Brokenshire today met Cyril Glass, Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse (SAVIA); Jon McCourt, Survivors North West; Gerry McCann, Rosetta Trust; Professor Patricia Lundy of Ulster University; and Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty International.