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Northern Ireland

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Rogan, obviously heard the interview. I said that the Bill was evil but necessary—I did not call it a necessary evil. I thought ““evil but necessary”” was a worse condemnation. But the issue will not go away. The Bill was necessary; we have decided it would not suit the purpose in the form it was drafted because it would not be used, but the issue will not go away. I have to disabuse noble Lords of the idea that because the Bill has been withdrawn the issue is put to bed and nothing needs to be done in the future. The noble Lord, Lord Tebbit, said that he was surprised at the Secretary of State’s frankness. He was frank. Sinn Fein wanted a one-sided arrangement; Sinn Fein was not being offered a one-sided arrangement and it will not be offered a one-sided arrangement. As both I and the Secretary of State said, what Sinn Fein decides about what happens to members of the security forces is not negotiable.