Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill

Lord Duncan of Springbank Excerpts

3rd reading (Hansard): House of Lords
Wednesday 17th July 2019 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

1: Clause 8, page 7, line 34, leave out “section 11(4)” and insert “section (Regulations: supplementary)(2)”

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office and Scotland Office (Lord Duncan of Springbank) (Con)]

My Lords, these amendments rationalise the clauses to make procedural provision in respect of each of the new regulation-making powers in the Bill, so they can be dealt with together. They rationalise the commencement provisions for each power and, importantly, they will not come into force if an Executive is formed on or before 21 October. We are also seeking to amend the Long and Short Titles of the Bill to reflect its purpose. It is now—goodness me—nearly 1.30 am and I would like to thank the staff who have helped us by staying late.

[Noble Lords]

Hear, hear!

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

They are appreciated. We would not be in the same fit state without them. I beg to move.

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[Lord Hayward (Con)]

Before we conclude, I will my comments. I thank people who were unseen throughout my efforts—there are even members of the DUP who have said, “Keep going”. That is the different voice that one has heard. I also pay tribute to No. 10 and the PM, who have also encouraged me in the process. When I made my speech earlier this evening—or was it this afternoon, yesterday afternoon, I am not sure—I referred to people whom I knew. We should bear in mind that the changes that we have made relate so much to people whom we do not know. We will never know that we have helped a lot of people.

One of the miracles of modern technology is such that, since I referred to Rainey Endowed School this afternoon, I have had a message from another of its former members who happened to be watching us—there is a salutary warning to us all—and he has written to say thank you. He has announced to a number of people—I shall never know them and we all never will—these two sentences, which I hope summarise what we have achieved here in the last few days: “You, perhaps like me, know far too many people who killed themselves back in the 1970s and 1980s, rather than bringing shame on their families”. He then goes to say, “I was fortunate. I had another guy who lived in the same village and we kept each other sane”. Those are very appropriate thoughts for what we have achieved here in the last few days.

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

My Lords, I will not detain us for long. I think it is important to thank certain noble Lords, many of whom are in the Chamber tonight, but particular commendation should go to the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, for the work she has done in helping us move towards consensus. On an issue such as this, consensus is far better than division. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with the Front Benches on the Labour and Liberal sides—the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, and the noble Lord, Lord Bruce—and my own side and others to try to deliver what has been a difficult Bill, in remarkably difficult circumstances, over a remarkably short timescale, even though we have allowed for it to be extended; I think that is important. This would still be far better done by a reformed and resolved Executive in Northern Ireland, but that was not to be on this occasion. The sun will shortly rise and it will be a brave new world upon which it shines.

Amendment 1 agreed.

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Moved by

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

3: Clause 10, page 9, line 39, leave out “section 12(4)” and insert “section (Regulations: supplementary)(2)”

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Moved by

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

4: After Clause 10, insert the following new Clause—
“Regulations: supplementary
(1) A power to make regulations under section 8, 9 or 10 may be used to make different provision for different purposes.(2) Regulations under section 8, 9 or 10 may make incidental, supplementary, consequential, transitional or saving provision.”

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Moved by

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

6: Clause 11, leave out Clause 11

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Moved by

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

7: Clause 12, leave out Clause 12

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Moved by

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

8: Clause 13, leave out Clause 13

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Moved by

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

9: Clause 14, page 10, line 36, leave out subsection (2) and insert—
“(2) Section 9 extends to Northern Ireland only.”

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Moved by

[Lord Duncan of Springbank]

12: In the Title, line 4, at end insert “and other matters; to impose duties to make regulations changing the law of Northern Ireland on certain matters, subject to the formation of an Executive; and for connected purposes.”