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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

I understand the point that the right hon. Gentleman makes, but simply say to him that a public interest decision is contestable. The defence drawn by the Secretary of State could be contestable in the courts. There would be a possibility of judicial review, and—I return to this fact—it would be a very brave Secretary of State who took such a decision. The power is in the Bill because we believe that there might be circumstances—I have outlined some unlikely ones relating to cost, the census, or a situation in which a weak chief electoral officer was in post—in which the Secretary of State might wish to exercise it. In normal circumstances, I do not envisage that any Secretary of State would refuse such a request from a chief electoral officer.