Northern Ireland Troubles Bill

Debate between Nusrat Ghani and Paul Foster

2nd reading
Tuesday 18th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Foster]

I am almost done.

Another important issue is that we must and will protect our veterans from vexatious and unwarranted investigations. The creation of a reformed Legacy Commission must not only provide for accountability, but provide the protection of the innocent. Legacy cases have dominated the inquest system in Northern Ireland, where coroner legislation dates back to 1959 and desperately requires modernisation. The 1959 legislation was never created to deal with the numerous and complex types of legal issues the system now faces. Coronial law in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter, but a modernised inquest system could dictate new rules of procedure, change evidential standards, affect disclosure processes and reshape how article 2 is applied, thus providing multiple additional layers—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

Points of Order

Debate between Nusrat Ghani and Paul Foster

Tuesday 15th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving notice of her point of order. The Chair is not responsible for Members’ comments on social media, but I am sure the Table Office will be able to advise on how to pursue the matter further.

[Mr Paul Foster (South Ribble) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Yesterday in Westminster Hall the debate on the Northern Ireland veterans petition took place. Given that this is an exceptionally sensitive and emotive issue, Westminster Hall was at full capacity, and many veterans were in attendance and many more were watching online, do you feel that it is appropriate conduct for the shadow Secretary of State for Defence, the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge) to shout across the floor that I, a military veteran discussing emotive and exceptionally challenging veteran issues, should “show some courage”, in a way that was clearly audible for all to hear? Given the nature and importance of the issue we were attempting to debate, that the remark was shouted from a sedentary position, that the hon. Member is the shadow Secretary of State for Defence and that I and many colleagues found it to be wholly inappropriate and insulting to infer that I lack courage, do you feel that that is acceptable parliamentary language?

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving notice of his point of order and, I believe, for confirming that he notified the hon. Member for South Suffolk. The remarks he refers to were not recorded in Hansard. None the less, I remind all hon. Members that good temper and moderation are the characteristics of parliamentary language and that heckling from a sedentary position from either side of the House does nothing to enhance the quality of debate.

Bill Presented

Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Secretary David Lammy, supported by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Pat McFadden, Secretary John Healey, Stephen Doughty, and Luke Pollard presented a Bill to give effect to, and make provision in connection with, an agreement between the governments of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago.

Bill read the first time; to be read a Second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 285) with explanatory notes (Bill 285-EN).