The British government will announce details early next week of a multi-million pound fund to support the victims of violence in Northern Ireland. It is understood that up to £5 million will be allocated for schemes which recognise the suffering of victims. Details of the proposals - designed to meet unionist anxieties about the neglect of victims, and to balance controversial proposals such as those involving prisoner releases - will be confirmed in Belfast next week when the government unveils the report compiled by Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, head of the Northern Ireland Victims' Commission.
In a separate move the Chancellor, Mr Gordon Brown, will visit Northern Ireland next week to unveil a substantial economic package designed to underpin the Belfast Agreement.
The scale of the funding to support the victims of violence, and effect the recommendations of the Bloomfield report, emerged after the Prime Minister's meeting with an Ulster Unionist delegation led by Mr Jeffrey Donaldson MP, at Stormont on Wednesday night.
Ms Arlene Foster, a Co Fermanagh solicitor involved with the group FEAR, which works with Protestant farmers to reclaim land along the Border abandoned because of IRA violence, told Mr Blair that paramilitary prisoners and their families had received financial assistance that outweighed that given to their victims.
The point was made that the money given to prisoners and their families by the EU's Peace and Reconciliation Fund amounted to £1 million, while victims had received only £700,000.
Ms Foster said last night she was "gobsmacked" by the speed with which Mr Blair had responded to her concerns. "It is excellent news and I will be very happy if it is money on top of funding for Bloomfield," she said.
However, rather than being seen as a separate fund, it is understood the money will be spent according to the recommendations set out by Sir Kenneth, although extra government funding "further down the track" has not been ruled out. Sir Kenneth is expected to emphasise the need for a long-term co-ordinated effort to help the victims of violence which will include funding education programmes, community-based projects and counselling for victims rather than the erection of a permanent physical memorial which was originally proposed.