---

Northern Ireland Bill (Allocation of Time)

I take it, then, that the hon. Gentleman is saying that his party voted against in the Committee. The Committee also stated in paragraph 36 that for the duration of the interim arrangements—until May 2012—the DUP and Sinn Fein would not nominate any Member from their parties as the Minister of Justice. Those recommendations reflect and uphold a key DUP position. What would they mean in real terms? I notice that the SDLP claims that all this means the tearing up of the Belfast or Good Friday agreement. I understood, however, that that agreement had been binned once the St. Andrews agreement came in; indeed, only this morning the leader of the SDLP made that very point on BBC Radio Ulster. I do not know why anyone is surprised that the DUP should be in the business of dismantling any old and failed system. It is important that we in Northern Ireland get this issue right. It is important that policing is dealt with correctly because we have to face many major policing problems in the coming months and years. As has been mentioned today, there is a massive shortfall—possibly running into hundreds of millions of pounds—in relation to the policing budget. I endorse what my hon. Friend the Member for South Antrim (Dr. McCrea) said. We will oppose the SDLP amendments.