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Policing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007

I did not intend to speak in such a serious debate, but I want to make two points. I have listened to the noble Lord, Lord Maginnis, and I realise that he has a real knowledge of the ombudsman’s office and what goes on there. Listening to him, it seems that this concerns only terrorist offences. I could name a dozen ordinary issues on which the ombudsman has conducted investigations where people have been quite happy. Three years ago, I had that experience. Believe it or not, a policeman rather curtly put me in a good deal of danger so I took it up with the local station and the matter rolled out into the ombudsman’s office. I was quite satisfied with the outcome. I think we have the balance right. I am not trying to trivialise anything that the noble Lord, Lord Maginnis, said. These are very serious matters. My second point is that I take offence at what the noble Lord, Lord Kilclooney, said. The ombudsman's office is headed by a woman who got the job, I assume, on merit. She was appointed under the fair employment Act—I would assume that every job at that level would come under that. However she got the job, I think it is wrong to personalise it by quoting her husband. If the wives of noble Lords sitting round this table were to say something and it was quoted elsewhere, they would probably say that it was drivel, so I do not think that we can lay something her husband said at the ombudsman’s door. Everybody knows he is an all-Ireland man—that is what he wants. I understand that she was appointed on merit. It is wrong to personalise it in that way.