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Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2007

My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, and the noble Baroness, Lady Harris, especially for the tributes to the members. It is the same for those in elected positions in Northern Ireland who have tried to keep normal life going in the last 30 years. For colleagues on the mainland, there is no comparison with what these people have put up with in terms of trying to maintain a semblance of a democratic, civic society—an injured one, it is true, but less fractured now than it has been for many a time. The noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, chided me because we had made legislative commitments. I was grateful to be reminded that this is not the legislation for that change; it is purely a commencement order. The debates on the issues took place long before I had any responsibility for Northern Ireland. I apologise to the extent that we have gone over the time for the dinner break. I say ““purely a commencement order”” but without it we cannot proceed. There is an issue involving Belfast. I understand that the district policing partnerships must mirror the local government and policing operational boundaries. It is up to the Chief Constable to decide how he organises policing in Northern Ireland; it is not up to Ministers. I understand that he has decided to have two DPPs in Belfast. The order allows for up to four. I assume that that will mirror the policing arrangements but that is an operational matter for the Chief Constable and I think that that will be discussed. All we have done is produce enabling legislation to fit the situation. The other issue is much more sensitive. The condition is that a person must be out of prison for more than five years. Those with a life sentence can be out on licence. However, if they were out of prison for five years they would be covered in exactly the same way as political members. What has more or less been brought in for independent members is that which applies to the political members—the declaration against terrorism, which has to be made by councillors; it is also taken by members of district policing partnerships, who use wording that is virtually the same—it was taken from the same legislation. Ministers also have to make a statement. Only MLAs do not have to make such a statement. The point is being out of prison for more than five years, irrespective of the offence or length of sentence. That covers the circumstances that the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, asked me about. On Question, Motion agreed to.