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Colleges of Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2005

I am very grateful for the Committee’s support on this issue. I am absolutely certain that the arrangements will be made. I do not want to go into the matter a great deal because other people know a lot more about it than I do. On the point that the noble Lord, Lord Smith, made about the division being perpetuated, I asked about the mixture of students. There is a mixture of students in both colleges. There is a small minority in each. I understand that at Stranmillis the ratio is about 1,370 to 190, but 190 is more than 10 per cent; and at St Mary’s it is 1,155 to 30, a somewhat smaller percentage. I understand that the governing body at Stranmillis has not been exclusive on the one side. I understand that recently a ““lady”” representative was put on the board who was from the ““other side””, if I can put it that way. So there was a mixture. Therefore, it worked happily. The colleges have been forced to address the issue because of the equality legislation. Everyone sees an advantage in incorporation. In other words, we do not have to look at things like failure, defeat or victory. There is a chance of success for Stranmillis out of incorporation. It can achieve success from incorporation with the issues I have raised, which I do not have to repeat. Part of the consequences of that is the equality legislation. That was not there originally. I am absolutely certain that we and the people involved can find a satisfactory solution to this matter, because that is not the purpose of the change. I repeat and endorse what the noble Lord, Lord Smith, said about the quality of the output of these two colleges: long may it continue. On Question, Motion agreed to.