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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

I certainly concur with my hon. Friend. Indeed, the hon. Member for South Down (Mr. McGrady) will have heard me say, when the Bill was previously considered in the House, that I could not envisage that happening in my lifetime. I am always happy to be surprised about such matters, but the key issue is that the community must be satisfied. I do not believe that the community would be satisfied if people who are associated with those who are involved in terrorism, and who have a history of such involvement, were responsible for policing and justice. The bizarre nature of the debate has become even more difficult because of the decision by the party of the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) to enter into a formal relationship with a party that speaks for an illegal organisation. I am sure that she supports her leader in his decisions, but I know that the community that I represent cannot understand the Ulster Unionist party’s decision to have a formal relationship with the party that speaks for the Ulster Volunteer Force.