Draft Flags (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022

Peter Kyle Excerpts

Monday 17th October 2022 General Committees

[Peter Kyle (Hove) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Gary, I believe for the first time. The Committee will be pleased to hear that I will keep my comments brief.

In Northern Ireland, the use of symbols and emblems for public purposes needs to be treated with sensitivity. Flags are an important form of expression for communities in Northern Ireland. The goal of legislation on flag flying is to promote mutual respect, rather than division. Those are principles the Labour party believes in; they were agreed in the Good Friday/Belfast agreement.

In the New Decade, New Approach agreement, the Government committed to keeping the designated days for flying flags in Northern Ireland the same as in the rest of our United Kingdom. The draft regulations update the designated days and remove several days that celebrated birthdays of members of the royal family. Labour recognises that these changes were made in accordance with the wishes of the palace.

There was an interesting debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly when these regulations were discussed. I thank Members of the Assembly for their work. I am sure the Minister noted that, while the changes were broadly accepted, representations were made by local parties about other potential designated days.

The draft regulations were, of course, produced before the sad passing of Her Majesty. I am sure the Government are in discussions with the royal household about any further changes.

We support the Government’s keeping, through the draft regulations, the flag-flying commitment they made in New Decade, New Approach. I thank the Minister and I thank you, Sir Gary.

Question put and agreed to.