FORMER Ulster Unionist Party member Roy Garland has said he will not give evidence to the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry because he does not believe it has the powers to uncover the truth about sex abuse at Kincora boys home.
Instead Mr Garland, a retired Irish News columnist, said he believed alleged abuse of young boys cared for at the east Belfast home should fall under the remit of the more powerful Westminster investigation, the Goddard inquiry, that has the powers to compel witnesses.
Mr Garland said he was "disappointed at the refusal to include Kincora in the Goddard inquiry".
As a result he has said he will not now give evidence.
Three members of Kincora staff William McGrath, Raymond Semple and Joseph Mains were convicted in 1980 of abusing children at the home.
However, there are allegations that abuse involving senior political figures at the time and was covered up by British intelligence services.
Former army intelligence officer turned whistle blower, Colin Wallace has also said he will not be cooperating with the HIA inquiry.
"The harsh reality is that the government has seen fit to provide the HIA with significantly less powers than the Goddard Inquiry, yet it has provided no cogent reason for why this difference is necessary", he said.
"That appears to me to me to be manifestly unfair. This discrepancy is all the more significant bearing in mind the total failure of previous inquiries to uncover the full facts."
He added that under the current circumstances he felt that "no useful purpose would be served by my participation in the HIA."
