Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Swire and Kris Hopkins

Wednesday 15th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Hugo Swire (East Devon) (Con)]

5. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the d’Hondt system in Northern Ireland.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Kris Hopkins)]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Kris Hopkins]

I take it that reaction was not for me.

The use of the d’Hondt system is a stipulation of the Belfast agreement, as it ensures cross-community representation in the Executive. The Government are committed to upholding Northern Ireland’s constitutional settlement, as outlined in the Belfast agreement and its successors.

[Sir Hugo Swire]

The priority must of course be to persuade all the parties back into government in Northern Ireland to avoid the prospect of direct rule. Given the recent instability, in the longer term is it worth having a discussion about a new form of government involving a Government and an Opposition?

[Kris Hopkins]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his question, but we are not considering a review at this moment in time. What is important now is to help the parties to come back together and form an Executive, and that is the Government’s focus.