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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

We are glad to support the Government’s proposal because we were worried about setting the election date by way of statutory instrument. That is a constitutional and democratic matter that should not be decided through secondary legislation. Members of the House and the other place should have the opportunity to debate fully the merits of such a move and table such amendments that Parliament considers necessary. We cannot allow the routine operation of democracy to be reduced to a short debate on the Committee corridor, which would deny the vast majority of hon. Members the opportunity to discuss such an important matter.