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Northern Ireland Bill

I am most grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s intervention, which I am sure was intended to be helpful. He helped to clarify and reinforce a point that I made at the start of my comments on the amendment: if any measure in the Bill jumps off the page to reinforce the fact that the body will be not the Northern Ireland Assembly in shadow or devolved mode, but a new creature, it is the change to the law on absolute privilege. I simply wish to know from the Secretary of State or the Minister the impact that the measure will have on those in the media who genuinely report what is said. According to the Bill, the privilege attaches to the Members. Unlike under section 50 of the 1998 Act, it will not extend to publications from the Assembly. The media perhaps have the most to lose financially as a result of the measure, so they may also want clarification.