Illegal Migration Act: Northern Ireland
Debate between Lord Sharpe of Epsom and Lord Rogan(7 months, 1 week ago)
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Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, again, I was very clear at the start; we have consistently made it clear that the provisions in the Good Friday agreement, referred to in the Windsor Framework, were developed specifically against the background of Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances. That position has not changed.
Lord Rogan (UUP)
My Lords, the Minister will recall that last week in this House I raised my concerns about the Irish Government’s plan to mobilise 100 Garda officers to stop asylum seekers crossing into the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland, in effect, creating a hard border on the island. I asked the Minister directly to clarify what His Majesty’s Government were doing to remedy this situation, and his response was that he did not think it was appropriate to
“comment on the internal policies of another country”.—[Official Report, 9/5/24; col. 315.]
Given the potential consequences for Northern Ireland of the Belfast High Court judgment, does he now believe that it is time for the Government in general and the Prime Minister in particular to prioritise the well-being of the people of the Province of Northern Ireland over the shallow quest for voters in Great Britain?
Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
My Lords, I would go back to my original answer of last week: I still do not think it is appropriate to comment on the internal policies of another country. As I have repeatedly said—and as I will continue to say as often as I am asked—the Government will take all steps to defend their position, including through an appeal. I would also say that this is not about prioritising one part of our country over another. It is about maintaining the UK’s border integrity.
Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill
Debate between Lord Sharpe of Epsom and Lord RoganWednesday 9th March 2022
(2 years, 9 months ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 View all Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 Debates Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts Amendment Paper: HL Bill 126 Running list of amendments - (9 Mar 2022)
Lord Rogan (UUP)
My Lords, the scenes in Ukraine that the world has observed in our newspapers and on our television screens over the past two weeks—
Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
I am afraid that the noble Lord was late to the start of the debate.