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Northern Ireland Bill

I have listened carefully to the Minister’s response. I am grateful for his recognition that the IMC report shows work in progress by the IRA. When we listened to some press reports and comments before it was released, it appeared to some of us that there was an attempt to spin it to suggest that no Unionist could now use the IRA as an excuse in the context of restoring devolved Government. The hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) was right to say that it is essential to examine the IMC report carefully in the round. It is clear that progress has been made. As we said yesterday, we believe that the Democratic Unionist party can claim much credit for that. Before our position became the dominant one in Unionism, there was a view that the way to get the IRA away from violence was to bring it in and let the violence, drug dealing, intimidation and racketeering continue because being in government and having access to power would gradually wean it from all that. In fact, it had power and continued with its violence, racketeering and so on. We have made it clear that there must be an end to all that before the IRA can access power or authority. That strategy is working. Let us continue to keep up the pressure. The Minister signally failed to answer the question of what was so magical about the deadline of 24 November. He did not provide one reason or argument to persuade people that the process would be complete by 24 November. No one can say when it will be completed. We all hope and pray, for the good of the people of Northern Ireland, that it will be completed sooner rather than later, but how have the Government arrived at the date of 24 November? No one can say that the IRA will have completed the transformation by that date. We therefore believe that it is wrong to pull down the curtain on the prospects of restoring devolution simply because the IRA may not have fulfilled the necessary conditions to allow Sinn Fein to be part of an Executive in Northern Ireland. The debate has been useful and we shall not press amendment No. 14 to a Division. Although we believe that it would be useful to include such a provision in the Bill, and we will take account of it along with several other issues when those matters are decided, we will not press it today. However, we shall press amendment No. 10, which covers the deadline, to a Division, for the reasons that I have enunciated. I am grateful for the support of the hon. Member for Tewkesbury and his colleagues. We hope that as many hon. Members as possible can join us in the Lobby. Question put, That the amendment be made:— The Committee divided: Ayes 64, Noes 256.