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Northern Ireland Bill (Allocation of Time)

My hon. Friends the Members for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) and for North Shropshire (Mr. Paterson), who speak from the Opposition Front Bench, are being given advice by their adviser, my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Djanogly), who sometimes speaks from the Front Bench, so they cannot hear the advice that I am trying to give them, but I earnestly beseech them to recognise that, after due consideration, they have hit upon an important point, which clearly merits further consideration. I hope that, having heard what the First Minister said—I am sure they did—they will take carefully to heart his gentle, persuasive advice, have further discussions with our noble Friends who will debate this Bill for two whole days and arrange for a proper debate on a similar amendment in another place. In the meantime, due consideration could be given to all the literature on this subject—particularly to the seminal document to which the Secretary of State referred. It can then be decided whether the proposal is sensible or whether it would be better to make another one. I urge my hon. Friends to ponder those points, and not to press for a Division.