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Northern Ireland Bill

I add a few words to those spoken with very good sense and great understanding by the noble Baroness, Lady Park. I have considerable sympathy with this amendment in that, however robust the Minister intends to be about moving matters forward, it would be absolute and utter folly to attempt to make major legislative changes during the six-month period when what we call the Assembly—not the real Assembly but the Assembly Members negotiating with each other—is functioning. I hope that the Minister, when he responds to the noble Baroness, Lady Harris, will consider the intention of the amendment and assure us that, however robust he and his colleagues may be in the Northern Ireland Office, they will not in that interim six-month period seek to override the intention of those Members of the legislative assembly meeting to negotiate a way forward.