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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

I bet that the hon. Member for Foyle (Mark Durkan) spends his leisure moments watching ““The X Files”” or perhaps ““Trainspotting””. He has taken us beyond what my hon. Friend the Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Dodds) described in terms of a situation that is difficult to comprehend, with an enabling Bill and the particulars of unforeseen circumstances. Instead, the hon. Member for Foyle was able to offer us a series of possibilities. I intervened on him to point out that the d’Hondt mechanism would not be affected in all circumstances, but given that he was able to go on at such length on matters that will not necessarily occur, I was afraid to intervene further to tell him what those circumstances might be, as he could have gone on for at least another half-hour. The reality is that there are circumstances in which policing and justice can be devolved without d’Hondt being affected. If the train-spotter who prepared the script for the hon. Gentleman has not noticed that, however, I will not draw it to his attention until much later, even if he asks me. I will put it alongside the more than 100 understandings that we had. Perhaps he can get one of his colleagues to make a written request for it under freedom of information.