David Black

Andrew Rosindell Excerpts

Friday 2nd November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Villiers]

I very much welcome the right hon. Gentleman’s reference to the comments made by Mrs Black through her local minister, in which she made it clear she did not want any form of retaliation—a courageous and entirely right statement to make. Such activity would be to play into the hands of the people who would drag Northern Ireland back to the past, and it is a message that should go out loud and clear from this House, as it has done from the people most tragically affected by the incident.

I assure the right hon. Gentleman that the Government will continue to bear down hard on terrorism. It continues to be our highest priority to protect our citizens and we will continue to devote the appropriate resources to enable the PSNI and its partners to continue their excellent work in protecting people in Northern Ireland.

I know that the PSNI takes the security of prison officers exceptionally seriously. As I said in response to the shadow Secretary of State, it is vital that any appropriate lessons are learned in relation to the security of prison officers and I am sure that the police and the prison service will look carefully at that once the facts of this tragedy are established and at whether any changes need to be made.

The overall threat level regarding Northern Ireland-related terrorism in the United Kingdom remains under constant review, and the security services will assess whether any change is needed. I reassure the right hon. Gentleman that we remain vigilant and that if the threat level needs to be amended in Northern Ireland or in Great Britain, changes will be made.

[Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the cowardly group that carried out yesterday’s attack is completely misguided if it thinks for one second that its objectives will be advanced one inch by violence? Will she confirm that the future of Northern Ireland will only ever be decided by the democratic wishes of the people of Northern Ireland?

[Mrs Villiers]

I can confirm that. This attack was both senseless and futile, and it will not subvert the political process. I agree wholeheartedly with my hon. Friend: the future of Northern Ireland will be decided by democracy and by consent.