Northern Ireland Bill. Lords Committee stage. Clauses 1 to 6 agreed to. Schedules 1 to 3 agreed to. Bill reported without amendment.

Northern Ireland Bill. Lords Committee stage. Clauses 1 to 6 agreed to. Schedules 1 to 3 agreed to. Bill reported without amendment.

I have to confess that I am not one of the most optimistic people as regards what will happen after this Bill is enacted. There are still some very grave doubts about the sincerity of some of the politicians involved, particularly their attachment to the process of law and order, and their...

I have to confess that I am not one of the most optimistic people as regards what will happen after this Bill is enacted. There are still some very grave doubts about the sincerity of some of the politicians involved, particularly their attachment to the process of law and order, and their...

I have a great deal of sympathy with the words of the noble Baroness, but I am afraid that I do not think that the amendment to this Bill at this time will help procedures in the Northern Ireland Assembly when it reassembles. I would love to pass the buck today, as I am sure...

I have a great deal of sympathy with the words of the noble Baroness, but I am afraid that I do not think that the amendment to this Bill at this time will help procedures in the Northern Ireland Assembly when it reassembles. I would love to pass the buck today, as I am sure...

I add a few words to those spoken with very good sense and great understanding by the noble Baroness, Lady Park. I have considerable sympathy with this amendment in that, however robust the Minister intends to be about moving matters forward, it would be absolute and utter folly to attempt to make major...

I add a few words to those spoken with very good sense and great understanding by the noble Baroness, Lady Park. I have considerable sympathy with this amendment in that, however robust the Minister intends to be about moving matters forward, it would be absolute and utter folly to attempt to make major...

I would only add what I said when we discussed the Bill before. I feel great sympathy with the amendment. It is unlikely to encourage people in Northern Ireland to rule themselves and to get on with it if the Government meanwhile enact such decisions as those made on education, which were discussed...

I would only add what I said when we discussed the Bill before. I feel great sympathy with the amendment. It is unlikely to encourage people in Northern Ireland to rule themselves and to get on with it if the Government meanwhile enact such decisions as those made on education, which were discussed...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I find what he has said wholly persuasive.

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I find what he has said wholly persuasive.

I accept the invitation of the noble Lord, Lord Tebbit, to express sympathy with the principle behind the amendment. The Government’s view is that the present situation is unsatisfactory for scrutinising Northern Ireland legislation. On two occasions in the past 12 months we have talked with the other parties to see what ideas we...

I accept the invitation of the noble Lord, Lord Tebbit, to express sympathy with the principle behind the amendment. The Government’s view is that the present situation is unsatisfactory for scrutinising Northern Ireland legislation. On two occasions in the past 12 months we have talked with the other parties to see what ideas we...

I rest my case.

I rest my case.

We are content that the clause stands part in the light of the Minister’s assurances. Clause 3 agreed to. Clauses 4 to 6 agreed to. Schedule 1 [The Assembly]: [Amendment No. 2 not moved.]

We are content that the clause stands part in the light of the Minister’s assurances. Clause 3 agreed to. Clauses 4 to 6 agreed to. Schedule 1 [The Assembly]: [Amendment No. 2 not moved.]

moved Amendment No. *5:"Page 5, line 20, at end insert—""““Assembly control of Orders in Council""7  For paragraph 2 of the Schedule to the 2000 Act substitute—""““Parliamentary and Assembly control of Orders in Council" 2   (1) Except where sub-paragraph (2) applies, an Order in Council may not be made under paragraph 1(1) unless each of the following conditions is...

moved Amendment No. *5:"Page 5, line 20, at end insert—""““Assembly control of Orders in Council""7  For paragraph 2 of the Schedule to the 2000 Act substitute—""““Parliamentary and Assembly control of Orders in Council" 2   (1) Except where sub-paragraph (2) applies, an Order in Council may not be made under paragraph 1(1) unless each of the following conditions is...

had given notice of his intention to move Amendment No. 3:"Page 5, line 10, at end insert ““but in any such provision the number of members of the Assembly of a party shall be determined as that obtaining on the morning of the day for the making of the nominations referred to in...

had given notice of his intention to move Amendment No. 3:"Page 5, line 10, at end insert ““but in any such provision the number of members of the Assembly of a party shall be determined as that obtaining on the morning of the day for the making of the nominations referred to in...

First, I am very grateful for the support of Members of the Committee who have taken part in this mini-debate on the amendment. I am also very grateful to the Minister for his full and thoughtful response and his expression of sympathy—not seductiveness—for the intention behind the amendment. He made a very...

First, I am very grateful for the support of Members of the Committee who have taken part in this mini-debate on the amendment. I am also very grateful to the Minister for his full and thoughtful response and his expression of sympathy—not seductiveness—for the intention behind the amendment. He made a very...

I thank all those who have taken part in the discussion of Amendment No. 1 and I thank the Minister for giving me the response that I expected. The noble Lord, Lord Hylton, raised some worthwhile points. On a number of occasions the activities of some of the cross-border bodies were referred to some of those...

I thank all those who have taken part in the discussion of Amendment No. 1 and I thank the Minister for giving me the response that I expected. The noble Lord, Lord Hylton, raised some worthwhile points. On a number of occasions the activities of some of the cross-border bodies were referred to some of those...

We would never dream of usurping our powers, which are incredibly circumscribed and much more limited than they might appear at first sight. I am grateful to those noble Lords who have spoken and I believe that I can answer to satisfaction all the points that have been raised. The Assembly’s key task—the...

We would never dream of usurping our powers, which are incredibly circumscribed and much more limited than they might appear at first sight. I am grateful to those noble Lords who have spoken and I believe that I can answer to satisfaction all the points that have been raised. The Assembly’s key task—the...

I have very few words on this. First, the noble Lord, Lord Laird, has aired his amendment many times here, and if it was going to be helpful to include it in the paragraph that his amendment recommends, I would agree with it. Generally, we were very concerned at the breadth and the...

I have very few words on this. First, the noble Lord, Lord Laird, has aired his amendment many times here, and if it was going to be helpful to include it in the paragraph that his amendment recommends, I would agree with it. Generally, we were very concerned at the breadth and the...

On Amendment No. 1, it seems to me that Ministers, both in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland, should be responsible for the supervision of the cross-border bodies. If that does not always take place, we have the Auditor-General, the National Audit Office, the Ombudsman and probably the...

On Amendment No. 1, it seems to me that Ministers, both in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland, should be responsible for the supervision of the cross-border bodies. If that does not always take place, we have the Auditor-General, the National Audit Office, the Ombudsman and probably the...

I wish to speak to Amendments Nos. 3 and 4. As I understand it, and following what the noble Lord, Lord Maginnis of Drumglass, has just said, the d’Hondt mechanism for choosing Ministers depends on a party’s numbers. Numbers have never been my great forte so I find that system difficult to understand. But as I understand it,...

I wish to speak to Amendments Nos. 3 and 4. As I understand it, and following what the noble Lord, Lord Maginnis of Drumglass, has just said, the d’Hondt mechanism for choosing Ministers depends on a party’s numbers. Numbers have never been my great forte so I find that system difficult to understand. But as I understand it,...

I shall speak to Amendments Nos. 3 and 4 and try to explain their purpose. As I made clear at Second Reading, I totally support the Government’s Bill. I want to see a restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and to see things working democratically there. On that point alone, I must support the noble Lord, Lord Smith of...

I shall speak to Amendments Nos. 3 and 4 and try to explain their purpose. As I made clear at Second Reading, I totally support the Government’s Bill. I want to see a restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and to see things working democratically there. On that point alone, I must support the noble Lord, Lord Smith of...

I shall speak to Amendments Nos. 1 to 4 in my name and that of my noble friend Lady Harris of Richmond. I accept that some of the issues being raised by the noble Lord, Lord Laird, need to be further investigated. There is some concern, particularly with the waterways. But in I think that we have always...

I shall speak to Amendments Nos. 1 to 4 in my name and that of my noble friend Lady Harris of Richmond. I accept that some of the issues being raised by the noble Lord, Lord Laird, need to be further investigated. There is some concern, particularly with the waterways. But in I think that we have always...