Armed Forces Covenant: Northern Ireland

Angus Brendan MacNeil Excerpts

Wednesday 7th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Douglas Ross]

Absolutely. I will take the hint, Madam Deputy Speaker. Whenever a referee looks confused at you, you know there is something wrong. I take that glare in the way that it was intended. What I hope to do in my short remarks is to explain how successful our covenant has been in Moray and why I understand that DUP Members want that success to be replicated in Northern Ireland.

In Moray, the links begin with the youngest members of our community—I hope that that can be replicated in Northern Ireland. Only a week ago, 39 Engineer Regiment hosted pupils from Forres Academy and Kinloss Primary School.

[Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)]

rose—

[Douglas Ross]

I will give way, although I am worried.

[Angus Brendan MacNeil]

Let me help the hon. Gentleman relate his speech to Ireland. The original derivation of the word “Elgin”, which is in his constituency, is actually “little Ireland”. So there you go—some help there.