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921 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDIndependent Reporting Commission: Fifth Substantive ReportI have received the fifth substantive report from the Independent Reporting Commission. The commission was established following the Fresh Start agreement of November 2015 to…07 Dec 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. Three weeks ago, I stood at this Dispatch Box setting out my profound regret that the Northern Ireland Executive had not…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI thank my right hon. Friend for his wise words. I know, because I was present in some of the meetings, that he articulated those words directly to representatives of the European…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI will give way one more time.29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillThe trial is certainly being watched assiduously by my officials and me. However, this Bill is about the restoration of the Executive in Northern Ireland—something that is very…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI am afraid that it is unfair of the hon. Gentleman to say that. He and this Government are absolutely not commenting day-to-day about the talks between this Government and the…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI thank my hon. Friend, the Chair of the Select Committee, for his point. Although I agree with him, I cannot put myself in the shoes of those who represent the different…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI feel that I have provoked all sorts of things. I hope that colleagues will forgive me if I take three interventions and then move on, because there is also a football game to…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillBut, unfortunately, it did. When Ministers were in place they were unable to help us with the money going through the system. Now, as per the responses to the urgent question and…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillThe hon. Gentleman makes a fair point that is well evidenced; that is why the protocol needs fixing. I have separately set out in a written statement to this House how the…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI believe I have just laid a written ministerial statement to give an update on how the Government are delivering on the commitments in the New Decade, New Approach paper. The…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI seem to be in the middle of an argument between two great gentlemen of this House, so I will just tactfully duck and continue with my contribution, because I know that people…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention and for his message to me on the subject earlier. I completely understand the point he makes, but I am hopeful that we can do the…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI can give a brief update. Indeed the hon. Member for Walthamstow (Stella Creasy) tabled amendments on that matter earlier, so I believe she might want to come in at this point,…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI thank both the hon. Lady and my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Dame Maria Miller) for their questions. I can give some clarity on this now, and later the Minister…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillThe hon. Lady and I have had this conversation before. I have a statutory duty to deliver that service and I will do so. Lastly, the Bill provides for powers around the…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI absolutely will. Indeed, depending on the passage of the Bill through this House and the other place, when the power falls to me, I intend to act on it rapidly. I am fully aware…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillThe hon. Gentleman will be talking about Sinn Féin Members of Parliament. I guess I would compare their take-home pay, allowances and everything with his—it would not be the same.…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillAmid the interesting debate that is going on across my shoulder, I can honestly say to the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, my hon. Friend the Member for North…29 Nov 2022HANSARD Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) BillI think I might arrange for my hon. Friend a meeting with my Department’s lawyers, who will happily take him through the issues, the various risks that they are running at this…29 Nov 2022