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Northern Ireland

My Lords, will the Minister recognise that his Statement today does nothing to improve the confidence of many of us, who are increasingly worried by the way in which the Government have been handling the situations in the Province, and whether they really have been giving equal recognition to the interests of both communities, rather than what seems a predominance of influence available to Sinn Fein in recent times? I am much heartened by what he said. It could hardly have been a stronger statement of the need for recognition of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the rule of law. I only hope that now, at last, the Government will stand on this point and not make yet further concessions in their desperate search for an agreement.