My Lords, in this debate there has been a clinching new argument for Scottish independence: the vast majority of noble Lords who overran the seven minutes spoke with Scottish accents.

As many noble Lords recognise, the constitution of the United Kingdom risks being shipwrecked, but there is not enough recognition of...

My Lords, in this debate there has been a clinching new argument for Scottish independence: the vast majority of noble Lords who overran the seven minutes spoke with Scottish accents.

As many noble Lords recognise, the constitution of the United Kingdom risks being shipwrecked, but there is not enough recognition of...

My Lords, I, too, thank my noble friend for introducing this order. Bearing in mind that the Belfast agreement took place in 1998, it is very depressing that here we are and we cannot have normal conditions obtaining in Northern Ireland. I take some heart from the fact that it...

My Lords, I, too, thank my noble friend for introducing this order. Bearing in mind that the Belfast agreement took place in 1998, it is very depressing that here we are and we cannot have normal conditions obtaining in Northern Ireland. I take some heart from the fact that it...

I thank my noble friend Lord Shutt for introducing this important debate and I look forward to the maiden speech of my noble friend Lord Macdonald. First, like so many other noble Lords, I believe that the tone, tenor and substance of the Prime Minister’s response to the Saville report...

I thank my noble friend Lord Shutt for introducing this important debate and I look forward to the maiden speech of my noble friend Lord Macdonald. First, like so many other noble Lords, I believe that the tone, tenor and substance of the Prime Minister’s response to the Saville report...

My Lords, I, too, thank the Leader of the House for repeating the Statement made in another place by the Prime Minister. There will be relief that the Hillsborough talks have led to an agreement; but much remains to be done. The excruciatingly protracted nature of the negotiations does not...

My Lords, I, too, thank the Leader of the House for repeating the Statement made in another place by the Prime Minister. There will be relief that the Hillsborough talks have led to an agreement; but much remains to be done. The excruciatingly protracted nature of the negotiations does not...

My Lords, I did not follow the gnomic utterances of the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, in his last sentence or two. I thank the Leader of the House for her introduction. She mentioned the contemporary political context of the Hillsborough negotiations. The Bill may be of only academic interest if...

My Lords, I did not follow the gnomic utterances of the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, in his last sentence or two. I thank the Leader of the House for her introduction. She mentioned the contemporary political context of the Hillsborough negotiations. The Bill may be of only academic interest if...

My Lords, we support two of these amendments, as the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, has said—and for the very reasons that he has articulated. Events of the last week have brought into particular focus and poignancy the problems associated with double-jobbing, and it can be in no one’s interest for...

My Lords, we support two of these amendments, as the noble Lord, Lord Glentoran, has said—and for the very reasons that he has articulated. Events of the last week have brought into particular focus and poignancy the problems associated with double-jobbing, and it can be in no one’s interest for...

My Lords, I associate these Benches with the sentiments expressed by the Leader of the House in regard to support for the PSNI at this particularly difficult time in Northern Ireland. We urge the MLAs to earn whatever salary they are going to get by having police and justice incorporated...

My Lords, I associate these Benches with the sentiments expressed by the Leader of the House in regard to support for the PSNI at this particularly difficult time in Northern Ireland. We urge the MLAs to earn whatever salary they are going to get by having police and justice incorporated...

I, too, thank the Minister for introducing these orders. Policing the private security industry can be very problematic, particularly given the special circumstances of Northern Ireland. Indeed, in the murkier parts of the industry it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between protection rackets on the one hand and legitimate security...

I, too, thank the Minister for introducing these orders. Policing the private security industry can be very problematic, particularly given the special circumstances of Northern Ireland. Indeed, in the murkier parts of the industry it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between protection rackets on the one hand and legitimate security...

The point about the newspaper supplement idea and publishing in newspapers generally is that they have a tremendous reinforcing effect. When we see something on screen, it is instantaneous—here today and gone tomorrow—but when you have a newspaper that lies around the house for a week it is a constant...

The point about the newspaper supplement idea and publishing in newspapers generally is that they have a tremendous reinforcing effect. When we see something on screen, it is instantaneous—here today and gone tomorrow—but when you have a newspaper that lies around the house for a week it is a constant...

My Lords, I, too, thank the Minister for introducing these two orders. Regarding the first, although traditionally we on these Benches are sceptical about interfering with the usual practicalities that underpin the democratic process, in this case it is sensible to make an exception. It would be a waste of...

My Lords, I, too, thank the Minister for introducing these two orders. Regarding the first, although traditionally we on these Benches are sceptical about interfering with the usual practicalities that underpin the democratic process, in this case it is sensible to make an exception. It would be a waste of...

My Lords, we very much welcome the Government’s acceptance in the other place last week of the arguments put forward both in this House and there about the great benefits of the common travel area to the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland in particular. We are pleased that the Government...

My Lords, we very much welcome the Government’s acceptance in the other place last week of the arguments put forward both in this House and there about the great benefits of the common travel area to the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland in particular. We are pleased that the Government...