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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

For the avoidance of any doubt, I say straight away to the hon. Member for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson) that I will not be ambivalent in my comments on support for policing. This Government, the Secretary of State, the Prime Minister, the Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my hon. Friend the Member for Wythenshawe and Sale, East (Paul Goggins) and I all believe that Sinn Fein should be involved in, sign up to and support policing, and that they should take their places on the Policing Board. I am not going to defend in this House a situation in which attacks on schools could occur, or in which individuals are not encouraged to go to the police to ensure that information about rapes is passed on. I make it clear to the hon. Member for East Antrim and others that the Government look forward to the day when Sinn Fein members take their place on the Policing Board and all citizens of Northern Ireland respect and support policing in the community and at large. We share the aim of the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson)—