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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

My Lords, I am most grateful for noble Lords’ contributions. With regard to what the noble Lord, Lord Smith, said, I, too, made reference to the lack of speeches. I do not criticise anyone for that because maiden speeches are not being made at the moment. I welcome the introduction of another voice to your Lordships’ House because, as I have said before, that has been missing. I wish that there was a spread of voices in this House and in the other place. It is a false debate if you do not hear all the voices. I, too, look forward to contributions to our debates—if we need to have them in the more democratic structure in the future—from those who live, work, have a life in and represent Northern Ireland. I am most grateful for noble Lords’ agreement. Everyone has said that the situation has been unsatisfactory, and this is a way forward. I think that when I put forward the proposal it was welcomed by the noble Lord, Lord Trimble—we had not had this for 30 years. Of course, in 1972, and I suspect at the time of the Good Friday agreement and the return of the Assembly, no one ever expected the suspension to last this long. The next set of negotiations was always round the corner and then the question was asked: why change the parliamentary process? What we are envisaging is a major change but it will apply only to Northern Ireland. It must not leak out into other areas—the business managers in both places would not be at all pleased about that. I am grateful for the broad and deep welcome and for the nomination for a gong of our long-standing civil servant, to whom I pay tribute. On Question, Motion agreed to.