�鶹Լ��

The government has been accused of being "disrespectful" to victims of institutional abuse.

Independent unionist MP Lady Hermon made the comments after plans for a House of Commons debate on compensation payments were dropped.

Victims campaigner Marty Adams said victims were "let down" the debate had not proceeded.

But he said he was confident Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith would pursue relevant legislation.

MPs were due to debate five key issues affected by the Stormont shutdown.

This included institutional abuse victims' compensation payouts and the political talks process.

Other issues that were due to be debated covered human trafficking, gambling law reform and payments to Troubles victims.

Up to 90 minutes had been set aside for each debate but because of time pressures the government only moved one debate on efforts to restore the Stormont assembly.

Lady Hermon accused the government of "disrespecting" the victims by sending out the signal that they don't even merit a "90 minute debate".

In response Mr Smith said the decision to drop the debate in "no way diminishes" commitments made by the government to victims on progressing legislation.

He said he had asked that redress legislation for the victims of Historical Institutional Abuse be included in the next Queen's Speech "as a matter of urgency".

Mr Adams, from the group Survivors Together, said he had conveyed victims' disappointment to Mr Smith in a phone call on Monday evening.

He said he hoped the setback would not "take the focus off the great work" Mr Smith was doing on victims' behalf's.

On abortion law reform, the Northern Ireland secretary confirmed that a "criminal moratorium" on abortion will be introduced on 22 October in the absence of a power-sharing executive.

DUP MP Ian Paisley criticised the move accusing the government of creating "total and legal chaos".

He questioned if the "termination of innocent children's lives" was the legacy the secretary of state wanted "with blood on his hands".

The secretary of state said if the parties want to have a say in how the law is changed they they need to "get their act together".

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds also called on Mr Smith to listen to the voices of those who protested in Belfast at the weekend against changes to abortion laws.