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Northern Ireland Bill

The Northern Ireland Assembly as set up under the 1998 Act remains in suspension. Once the date has passed, if there were the prospect of restoration again—I know that the hon. Gentleman is actively involved in trying to promote a process that could be successfully concluded—there will be no attempt to prolong the life of the Assembly for which the Bill provides beyond 24 November. He knows that any attempt to seek restoration later—for example, in a year or two after 24 November—would be done under the 1998 Act arrangements. We would move straight to selecting a First Minister and Deputy First Minister and run d’Hondt to select an Executive. If that failed after six weeks, an election would be called.