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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

I think that the hon. Gentleman is a little guilty of rewriting history. Does he accept that, in the past, Roman Catholics have not been encouraged to participate in anything to do with Crown forces? Does he also accept that, if Roman Catholics did apply to join the RUC, they immediately became a target for terrorist groups and even had to forgo visiting their families if they joined? This is not about deliberate discrimination against the Roman Catholic community. That community excluded itself from joining the RUC for many years.