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Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Modification) Order 2006

Sorry, I had missed that out, but I made a note. First, there is no way that I can say here on behalf of the Government that we will accept any amendment that we have not seen from the noble Lord, until we get the legislation. All I can say is that I offer the noble Lord the same as I would anybody else: that if he puts up the amendments, we shall give a considered response. That is the role of the House with regard to legislation. But I cannot possibly say to him—and he would not expect me to—that we will give him carte blanche on his amendments. I understand that he has a Private Member’s Bill and that he is going to seek to raise the matter through that Bill, as he is fully entitled to do. I do not have a problem about that, but he cannot expect me today to say that the Government will accept or indeed reject or give any comment on what he might put forward in that hypothetical situation.