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Northern Ireland

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his Statement to the House this afternoon, and I also greatly welcome it. Today, the law-abiding people of Northern Ireland have received a late but much welcome Christmas present, with the Government not now proceeding with the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill, or the on-the-run legislation. I am delighted that the Minister has at last seen sense and withdrawn that odious Bill, but it is a sad reflection that it took Sinn Fein/IRA to say that the Republicans would have nothing to do with that evil Bill before the Minister would agree to withdraw it. An evil, but necessary Bill: those are words used by the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, when he described and sought to justify that legislation to the people of Northern Ireland. I agree that the Bill was evil but totally disagree that it was necessary. That grotesque legislation should never have been brought before the House in the first place. It was seen by the victims of Sinn Fein/IRA violence and terrorism as yet another sop to republicanism. In welcoming the withdrawal of this Bill, I trust that these proposals or similar will not be introduced by the Government in another format in the future to placate republicans.