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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

Perhaps I was too hopeful of the circumstances, but there has been an element of consensus in today’s debate. At times, given the number of times that locks have been mentioned, I feel that I am in the possession of more locks than Chubb at the moment, but we make progress. The principle behind all this remains the same as the principle that I elucidated in my opening comments: can we get a position whereby the Assembly has the opportunity to consider whether it wishes policing and criminal justice to be devolved? I believe that the amendments provide an opportunity for rational consideration, which gives the opportunity for cross-community support and empowers to the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister to propose that support to ensure that the Assembly has its full consideration. Again, I am in danger of repeating myself, but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, or his successor, must then agree to that proposal and would bring it to the House for its endorsement. I fully accept that all the points mentioned by the hon. Members for South Antrim (Dr. McCrea), for Belfast, East, for Belfast, North, for South Staffordshire and, indeed, others have pointed to the fact that there is still a range of difficulties that relate to the conditions being right for the process to commence, but I do not know whether or not that will happen in the lifetime of the hon. Member for Belfast, East. I wish I knew how long he will live; I am sure that he will have a long and happy life. However, the key conditions are there to allow that mechanism to begin when that confidence is in place. I recognise that there are many difficulties and I am in danger of straying into discussing later amendments on the rule of law, which I am happy to debate now, and there are real issues about the definitions. We have tabled further amendments for later in consideration, but I repeat what I have said in the House previously: the Government, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I wish to see Sinn Fein sign up to policing and to support policing operations in Northern Ireland. That is a key element in building the confidence that hon. Members wish to see, and I certainly urge those hon. Members from Sinn Fein who are not in the House today to consider that proposal in considering these matters in the House and elsewhere. It is important that they support the police for reasons that are self-evident to every hon. Member who sits in the House today.