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colleagues. Statement from the Secretary of State to Northern | :00:00. | :00:00. | |
Ireland. James Brokenshire. Thank you very much. With permission I | :00:00. | :00:10. | |
would like to make a statement about the political situation in Northern | :00:11. | :00:16. | |
Ireland. As the house will recall, following the resignation of Martin | :00:17. | :00:20. | |
McGuinness, the then Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland in | :00:21. | :00:24. | |
January, an election took place to the Northern Ireland assembly on the | :00:25. | :00:28. | |
2nd of March and despite intensive discussions in the three weeks | :00:29. | :00:32. | |
following the election, the Northern Ireland parties will not able to | :00:33. | :00:35. | |
reach agreement on the formation of a new executive. In order to | :00:36. | :00:39. | |
facilitate further discussions between the parties Parliament | :00:40. | :00:43. | |
passed legislation immediately before disillusion extending the | :00:44. | :00:49. | |
period in which an executive could be formed under the 29th of June -- | :00:50. | :00:55. | |
dissolution. Last Thursday I made a statement in Belfast setting out | :00:56. | :00:57. | |
that while differences remain between the parties come progress | :00:58. | :01:01. | |
had been made and that it was possible for resolution to be | :01:02. | :01:06. | |
achieved. I urged the parties to continue focusing their efforts on | :01:07. | :01:11. | |
this with the full support of the UK Government and as appropriate the | :01:12. | :01:14. | |
Irish government. And in that regard I want to recognise the contribution | :01:15. | :01:19. | |
of the Irish Foreign Minister and his predecessor Charlie Flanagan. In | :01:20. | :01:25. | |
the past few days since the passing of the deadline some progress has | :01:26. | :01:30. | |
continued to be made including on the most challenging issues, such as | :01:31. | :01:35. | |
language, culture and identity. But gaps remain between the parties on a | :01:36. | :01:42. | |
defined number of issues. The government remains committed to | :01:43. | :01:45. | |
working with the parties and the Irish government to find a way to | :01:46. | :01:49. | |
close these gaps quickly in order to reach an agreement which will pave | :01:50. | :01:54. | |
the way for the restoration of devolved government. The Prime | :01:55. | :01:59. | |
Minister has been actively involved following on from her meetings with | :02:00. | :02:03. | |
each of the parties including speaking to Arlene Foster and | :02:04. | :02:07. | |
Michelle O'Neill on Friday night. I continue to believe that a deal | :02:08. | :02:11. | |
remains achievable. And if agreement is reached by will bring forward | :02:12. | :02:16. | |
legislation to enable an executive to be formed possibly as early as | :02:17. | :02:23. | |
this week. But time is short. It has been six months since a full | :02:24. | :02:29. | |
executive was in place to represent the people of Northern Ireland. In | :02:30. | :02:35. | |
that time it has been civil servants and not politicians who have made | :02:36. | :02:39. | |
decisions on spending. Without political direction it has not been | :02:40. | :02:44. | |
possible for strategic decisions to be made about priorities and areas | :02:45. | :02:52. | |
such as education and health. This has created pressures which need to | :02:53. | :02:57. | |
be addressed. And it has led to understandable concern and | :02:58. | :03:02. | |
uncertainty amongst businesses and those relying on public services | :03:03. | :03:07. | |
like as well as the community and voluntary sector. This hiatus cannot | :03:08. | :03:13. | |
simply continue for much longer. There is no doubt that the best | :03:14. | :03:18. | |
outcome is for a new executive, to make those strategic decisions in | :03:19. | :03:25. | |
the interests of all parts of the community in Northern Ireland. It | :03:26. | :03:29. | |
should be for a new executive to make swift decisions on its budget | :03:30. | :03:33. | |
and to make use of the considerable spending power available to it. One | :03:34. | :03:39. | |
engagement between the parties continues and there is prospect of | :03:40. | :03:44. | |
an agreement, it is right that those discussions remain our focus -- | :03:45. | :03:47. | |
while engagement. At the same time we will not forget our ultimate | :03:48. | :03:53. | |
responsibility as a government to uphold political stability and good | :03:54. | :03:56. | |
governance in Northern Ireland. In April I made a written ministerial | :03:57. | :04:01. | |
statement that sought to provide clarity for those civil servants | :04:02. | :04:06. | |
charged with allocating cash in Northern Ireland to assist them in | :04:07. | :04:08. | |
the discharge of their responsibilities. There remains ?42 | :04:09. | :04:14. | |
million in resources flowing from the Spring Budget and budget | :04:15. | :04:16. | |
transfers from the last financial year which have remained unallocated | :04:17. | :04:21. | |
in order to provide an incoming executive with the room to decide on | :04:22. | :04:27. | |
how it should best be spent. But if we don't see resolution in the | :04:28. | :04:31. | |
coming days, then it will become urgent that we reflect further upon | :04:32. | :04:36. | |
whether clarity is required for Northern Ireland permanent | :04:37. | :04:38. | |
secretaries about the allocation of those resources. In that situation | :04:39. | :04:44. | |
we would also need to reflect carefully on how we might allocate | :04:45. | :04:48. | |
funding made available to address immediate health and education | :04:49. | :04:52. | |
pressures as set out in last Monday's statement on UK Government | :04:53. | :04:57. | |
financial support from Northern Ireland recognise a Northern | :04:58. | :05:01. | |
Ireland's particular circumstances. And if no agreement is reached, | :05:02. | :05:05. | |
legislation in Westminster may then be required to give authority for | :05:06. | :05:12. | |
the expenditure of Northern Ireland departments through an | :05:13. | :05:17. | |
appropriations bill. From my conversations with the head of the | :05:18. | :05:19. | |
Northern Ireland civil service we have not reached that critical point | :05:20. | :05:25. | |
yet. But that point is coming. And the lack of a formal budget is not | :05:26. | :05:30. | |
something that can be sustained indefinitely. Similarly decisions on | :05:31. | :05:36. | |
capital expenditure and infrastructure and public service | :05:37. | :05:40. | |
reform in key sectors like the health service cannot be deferred | :05:41. | :05:45. | |
for much longer. One area on which there is much consensus is on the | :05:46. | :05:50. | |
need for greater transparency around political donations. And in line | :05:51. | :05:55. | |
with the commitments set out in the Conservative Party's Northern | :05:56. | :05:58. | |
Ireland manifesto at the general election I can confirm that I intend | :05:59. | :06:02. | |
to bring forward legislation that will provide for the publication of | :06:03. | :06:05. | |
all donations and loans received by Northern Ireland parties on or after | :06:06. | :06:14. | |
the 1st of July 20 17. All of this reinforces further the importance of | :06:15. | :06:17. | |
the parties coming together and reaching an agreement. And it sets | :06:18. | :06:23. | |
out some of the hard choices we face if uncertainty persists. I'm also | :06:24. | :06:30. | |
conscious that with the deadline passed I'm under a duty to set a new | :06:31. | :06:35. | |
date for new election. And I will continue to keep that duty under | :06:36. | :06:40. | |
review. But it seems unlikely that that word of itself resolve the | :06:41. | :06:45. | |
current political impasse or the ultimate need for political | :06:46. | :06:49. | |
decision-making however we proceed. As the government for the whole | :06:50. | :06:53. | |
United Kingdom we will also govern in the interests of all those within | :06:54. | :06:57. | |
the United Kingdom, and so if resolution were to prove intractable | :06:58. | :07:04. | |
and the executive could not be restored, we would be ready to do | :07:05. | :07:07. | |
what is needed to provide that political decision-making in the | :07:08. | :07:11. | |
best interests of Northern Ireland. But I can clear that the return of | :07:12. | :07:15. | |
inclusive devolved government by a power-sharing executive is what | :07:16. | :07:20. | |
would be profoundly in the best interests of Northern Ireland. And | :07:21. | :07:25. | |
that will remain our overriding focus in the crucial days ahead. UK | :07:26. | :07:30. | |
Government will continue to govern in the interests of everyone in | :07:31. | :07:35. | |
Northern Ireland by providing political stability and keeping an | :07:36. | :07:39. | |
open dialogue with the parties and with the Irish government in | :07:40. | :07:41. | |
accordance with the well-established three standard approach. I stand | :07:42. | :07:48. | |
ready to do what is necessary to facilitate the quick formation of an | :07:49. | :07:51. | |
executive once an agreement is reached and that is where our focus | :07:52. | :07:55. | |
will lie. I commend this statement to the House. Owen Smith. May I | :07:56. | :08:02. | |
begin by thanking the Secretary of State for advancing his statement | :08:03. | :08:08. | |
and his good efforts to keep me updated on progress in the talks and | :08:09. | :08:13. | |
I know that he and the Foreign Minister have been working very hard | :08:14. | :08:17. | |
as have all the parties to narrow the gap between them on the | :08:18. | :08:21. | |
outstanding issues in particular in respect of languages and culture and | :08:22. | :08:25. | |
identity as he said. I welcome the fact that he hasn't come here today | :08:26. | :08:28. | |
to save the shutters are coming down on the talks and that he is still | :08:29. | :08:36. | |
optimistic -- to say. He has sustained a slightly surprising | :08:37. | :08:38. | |
optimism that a deal might be done this week. People in Belfast and | :08:39. | :08:42. | |
across Northern Ireland will have heard his contention that there | :08:43. | :08:45. | |
remains the prospect of a deal and if that is achieved he should know | :08:46. | :08:48. | |
he will enjoy our support on this side of the house to put in place | :08:49. | :08:52. | |
whatever legislation is misery in order to get the executive reformed | :08:53. | :09:00. | |
-- is necessary. But there will be frustration amongst many Northern | :09:01. | :09:03. | |
Ireland citizens that fully six months after the executive broke | :09:04. | :09:08. | |
down little more than a week before the marching season reaches its | :09:09. | :09:11. | |
apogee of the 12, that we still remain at this impasse and there | :09:12. | :09:16. | |
likelihood of his surmounting it in likelihood of his surmounting it in | :09:17. | :09:21. | |
a few short days, so hard questions must now be asked about what wore | :09:22. | :09:25. | |
his government can do to assist the parties in moving forward. It is | :09:26. | :09:30. | |
encouraging that the Prime Minister picked up the phone to the leaders | :09:31. | :09:34. | |
of the DUP and Sinn Fein on Friday night but I would invite the | :09:35. | :09:39. | |
Secretary of State in this new spirit of free speech that seems to | :09:40. | :09:42. | |
be abroad in the Conservative Party to agree with me that the Prime | :09:43. | :09:45. | |
Minister could do a bit more and that he could tell her to get a bit | :09:46. | :09:49. | |
more involved herself and to get on a plane to Belfast. I'm sure Arlene | :09:50. | :09:53. | |
Foster wouldn't mind lending hers for a weekend. History has told us | :09:54. | :10:01. | |
on this side of the house and on his that the involvement, the direct | :10:02. | :10:04. | |
involvement of the Prime Minister can sometimes help bridge the divide | :10:05. | :10:07. | |
in Northern Ireland and it can move things forward and it is a surprise | :10:08. | :10:13. | |
that this Prime Minister continues to seem reluctant to take personal | :10:14. | :10:17. | |
responsibility to break the deadlock. I think myself and many in | :10:18. | :10:22. | |
Northern Ireland would feel that the current Prime Minister has a | :10:23. | :10:26. | |
particular duty to take some personal responsibility to get more | :10:27. | :10:29. | |
involved, as it was her decision last April to call a general | :10:30. | :10:34. | |
election that lengthened the hiatus, and took us so close to July the | :10:35. | :10:41. | |
12th. It is also her reliance on the DUP, a legitimate alliance, but her | :10:42. | :10:50. | |
reliance is being cited by other interlocked is in the talks as part | :10:51. | :10:55. | |
of the reason for the impasse. So I agree with the Secretary of State | :10:56. | :10:58. | |
that the hiatus can't continue for much longer but I would like to hear | :10:59. | :11:01. | |
more from him about what he's going to do to resolve it because if it is | :11:02. | :11:07. | |
with greater hands-on involvement by the Prime Minister, does he think | :11:08. | :11:12. | |
there's a role for a new independent impartial international chairman of | :11:13. | :11:16. | |
the talks with fresh eyes and a new mandate? In the past that has played | :11:17. | :11:23. | |
an important part in terms of shifting things, and I noted to be | :11:24. | :11:26. | |
coded warning that he gave, quite rightly, that if a wave forward | :11:27. | :11:30. | |
isn't found he will have to bring forward further budgetary transfers | :11:31. | :11:34. | |
to give extra clarity and certainty to the Northern Ireland civil | :11:35. | :11:38. | |
service and that might be necessary, and if so he will enjoy our support. | :11:39. | :11:42. | |
But I'm not sure it will provide much of a spur to the parties | :11:43. | :11:46. | |
involved because they are used to this limbo land now for the next six | :11:47. | :11:51. | |
months and he agrees with me that it is profoundly unsatisfactory for | :11:52. | :11:55. | |
strategic decisions to be put off over Northern to be the hands of | :11:56. | :12:01. | |
elected civil servants, no matter how confident they are, and | :12:02. | :12:03. | |
appropriations bill might prove to be a bigger spur but some will see | :12:04. | :12:08. | |
that effectively, and he will know, as a return to direct rule. And that | :12:09. | :12:13. | |
is a position that he will wish to avoid and I would urge him to take | :12:14. | :12:19. | |
all possible steps to avoid it. May I welcome the decision the Secretary | :12:20. | :12:23. | |
of State has taken to legislate for publication of all political loans | :12:24. | :12:27. | |
and donations received by parties in Northern Ireland after the 1st of | :12:28. | :12:30. | |
July, as an important step in normalising the politics of Northern | :12:31. | :12:36. | |
Ireland. It might strike some a bit ironic in light of the recent deal | :12:37. | :12:40. | |
with the DUP. Does he intend that the thresholds that will apply to | :12:41. | :12:43. | |
that legislation are the same that apply presently to donations and | :12:44. | :12:49. | |
loans across the rest of the UK? Will the same requirement applied | :12:50. | :12:51. | |
that all donors are registered voters in the UK also apply? May I | :12:52. | :12:58. | |
say to the Secretary of State that I'm sure you agree with me that | :12:59. | :13:02. | |
Northern Ireland needs its assembly and executive up and running as soon | :13:03. | :13:06. | |
as possible. There is no greater illustration than the fact that we | :13:07. | :13:10. | |
are now entering the negotiations in earnest on Brexit and Northern | :13:11. | :13:14. | |
Ireland effectively has no voice. At that negotiation. Certainly not one | :13:15. | :13:19. | |
that reflects the traditions and cultures in heritage of Northern | :13:20. | :13:25. | |
Ireland. There is an absolute imperative that we get the executive | :13:26. | :13:29. | |
back on its feet and that Northern Ireland has its voice restored and | :13:30. | :13:33. | |
I'm sure he will join with me in urging all members and all parties | :13:34. | :13:37. | |
to make sure that happens as soon as possible. | :13:38. | :13:41. | |
I would join with the right honourable gentleman in underlining | :13:42. | :13:48. | |
that core message he ended with, and I appreciate and welcome the support | :13:49. | :13:54. | |
he has given to the government, if we are able to reach that point | :13:55. | :13:59. | |
where agreement is concluded, and to be able to move swiftly in this | :14:00. | :14:02. | |
house. I appreciate the opportunity we have had to discuss these issues | :14:03. | :14:08. | |
over the last few days and will certainly be maintaining that | :14:09. | :14:14. | |
dialogue with him. He raises a number of points, in particular he | :14:15. | :14:18. | |
highlighted the issue of frustration that people of Northern Ireland | :14:19. | :14:22. | |
feel. I think there are so many people who will be frustrated in not | :14:23. | :14:25. | |
seeing the deal having been concluded thus far. And therefore | :14:26. | :14:34. | |
how we can see that conclusion and seeing a power-sharing executive, | :14:35. | :14:36. | |
and inclusive power-sharing executive getting on and making | :14:37. | :14:41. | |
decisions in the best interests of Northern Ireland by locally elected | :14:42. | :14:44. | |
politicians. I know that's a theme that binds us together. He asked | :14:45. | :14:49. | |
about the engagement of the Prime Minister, who has been involved in | :14:50. | :14:54. | |
this throughout the process. She met all the leaders of the political | :14:55. | :14:58. | |
parties here in London, has maintained contact throughout that | :14:59. | :15:03. | |
time, and, as I indicated, has also spoken to the leaders of the two | :15:04. | :15:08. | |
main parties in recent days, as she had done recently. He will also | :15:09. | :15:12. | |
reflect and recognise that particular interventions may not | :15:13. | :15:14. | |
necessarily have the desired outcome. I know from his previous | :15:15. | :15:21. | |
time when he was involved in matters related to Northern Ireland, a long | :15:22. | :15:25. | |
time at places like Leeds Castle, that did not lead to that outcome | :15:26. | :15:29. | |
that he himself would have wished for at that time. There are | :15:30. | :15:33. | |
different solutions and scenarios that present themselves in different | :15:34. | :15:37. | |
cases. I would say that there is a defined number of issues that remain | :15:38. | :15:42. | |
outstanding, and it's that focus and attention we need to give at this | :15:43. | :15:47. | |
time, rather than extending out and changing the whole dynamic. But | :15:48. | :15:53. | |
obviously we will continue to keep matters under careful review. The | :15:54. | :15:57. | |
whole point is that resolution should be capable, if the | :15:58. | :16:01. | |
willingness is there. And therefore it is with that urgency that we must | :16:02. | :16:08. | |
approach the days ahead. There is opportunity here. I spoke about the | :16:09. | :16:12. | |
additional funding that could be available to an executive to use to | :16:13. | :16:17. | |
act and take some of those strategic decisions. I think it's so | :16:18. | :16:20. | |
profoundly in Northern Ireland's interest to see that is the case | :16:21. | :16:26. | |
from locally elected politicians. I will set out perhaps to The Right | :16:27. | :16:32. | |
Honourable gentleman in relation to transparency issues on political | :16:33. | :16:36. | |
donations. I think that's the best way, and I will put a letter in the | :16:37. | :16:40. | |
house library setting out further detail. I will introduce further | :16:41. | :16:45. | |
legislation to spell all that out so everybody can see clearly the next | :16:46. | :16:50. | |
steps. Order consistent with what I said to the house last week, I'm | :16:51. | :16:54. | |
keen to uphold the tradition that members wishing to take part in | :16:55. | :16:58. | |
exchanges on a statement should be those and only those who were here | :16:59. | :17:02. | |
at its start. I don't mean to embarrass individuals. I know a | :17:03. | :17:06. | |
couple of individuals came in late and graciously not standing, but | :17:07. | :17:10. | |
that is not uniform. Those who are standing, shouldn't be doing so. It | :17:11. | :17:14. | |
is quite wrong to wander in a halfway through the statement and | :17:15. | :17:17. | |
then expect to be called. Some people might even think it's a tad | :17:18. | :17:22. | |
arrogant. But there you go. Mr Laurence Robertson. Thank you Mr | :17:23. | :17:28. | |
Speaker. Can I ask the Secretary of State, regardless of the | :17:29. | :17:31. | |
difficulties or disagreements in Northern Ireland among the parties, | :17:32. | :17:34. | |
isn't it the case that those issues should be sorted out within the | :17:35. | :17:39. | |
Assembly and the executive, and not in this place, or is it the case | :17:40. | :17:44. | |
that maybe one party or more are actually looking for a rewriting of | :17:45. | :17:51. | |
the rules? I'm grateful to my right honourable friend for his continued | :17:52. | :17:54. | |
focus on issues relating to Northern Ireland. In the last Parliament and | :17:55. | :17:59. | |
also in his chairmanship of the select committee. I think all | :18:00. | :18:04. | |
parties are focused on seeking an outcome here and seeing that we have | :18:05. | :18:08. | |
a functioning executive rather than fundamental changes to the rules. I | :18:09. | :18:11. | |
think that's where our attention should be given. As he indicates | :18:12. | :18:18. | |
from his question, that's where I think he realises decision-making | :18:19. | :18:22. | |
should be taken, within Northern Ireland, within the Assembly and | :18:23. | :18:27. | |
Executive, acting within the best interests of Northern Ireland. It's | :18:28. | :18:30. | |
disappointing to say the least that there hasn't been a deal made and | :18:31. | :18:36. | |
the proper government of Northern Ireland cannot restart. Will the | :18:37. | :18:40. | |
Secretary of State accept that his party's deal with the DUP makes | :18:41. | :18:44. | |
reaching a deal more difficult? Does he consider the link between his | :18:45. | :18:49. | |
ministerial colleague, the Parliamentary undersecretary in the | :18:50. | :18:53. | |
Department of executing the European Union, and the parliamentary | :18:54. | :18:56. | |
research Council that may the questionable donation to the DUP to | :18:57. | :19:00. | |
be an additional and unwelcome convocation? And why did it take | :19:01. | :19:05. | |
three years from a consultation of increasing transparency in Northern | :19:06. | :19:07. | |
Ireland. Additional donations to get to the position where the government | :19:08. | :19:13. | |
is now announcing it will bring legislation forward? Pea surrounding | :19:14. | :19:16. | |
this whole affair at times makes it increasingly difficult to trust that | :19:17. | :19:23. | |
there is impartiality in the government. -- the Merc. What can he | :19:24. | :19:29. | |
do to restore confidence in the government's impartiality? Lastly, | :19:30. | :19:34. | |
the devolved administrations are supposed to be involved in the | :19:35. | :19:39. | |
Brexit negotiations. Can the Secretary of State say who is | :19:40. | :19:41. | |
providing input from Stormont, and whether this is less or more than | :19:42. | :19:47. | |
that provided by Scotland and Wales. And what invitations were made to | :19:48. | :19:51. | |
him from the Secretary of Scotland, about the deal done between the | :19:52. | :19:54. | |
government and the DUP. There is a certain amount of harumphing, but | :19:55. | :20:05. | |
she was fully 36 seconds within her time. That is a matter of stylistic, | :20:06. | :20:15. | |
or even on the part of the right honourable gentleman, aesthetic | :20:16. | :20:17. | |
objection, but it cannot be said to be a matter of order. It may not | :20:18. | :20:23. | |
surprise the honourable lady to say that no, I don't agree with the | :20:24. | :20:26. | |
analysis she has just set out in her questions. We stand. Wear with our | :20:27. | :20:33. | |
undertakings under the Belfast agreement and its successors, and | :20:34. | :20:41. | |
the agreement. It is not contravening the agreement itself. | :20:42. | :20:49. | |
She highlights the issue of political donations and | :20:50. | :20:53. | |
transparency. I would say to her that we conducted a consultation | :20:54. | :20:56. | |
with all the political parties in Northern Ireland is to seek their | :20:57. | :21:00. | |
views first. That was the reason why we took the decision we have done | :21:01. | :21:06. | |
today, reflecting on those views, reflecting on that input and that | :21:07. | :21:11. | |
was the commitment in my own party's manifesto. She also highlights the | :21:12. | :21:15. | |
issue of Brexit and contact with the Northern Ireland executive. There | :21:16. | :21:23. | |
aren't elected politicians there, so we have sought to engage with | :21:24. | :21:26. | |
Northern Ireland's civil service within the executive, but that can | :21:27. | :21:31. | |
only take us so far, and why I profoundly believe we want to see an | :21:32. | :21:35. | |
executive in place to be the additional voice for Northern | :21:36. | :21:38. | |
Ireland strongly making the points and ensuring that alongside them we | :21:39. | :21:42. | |
have the best deal possible for Northern Ireland in the EU exit. | :21:43. | :21:50. | |
Extraordinary state of affairs. I was planning on calling The Right | :21:51. | :21:53. | |
Honourable gentleman, but he now seems disengaged from the | :21:54. | :21:57. | |
proceedings. He toddled up to the chair, I thought he was interested | :21:58. | :22:00. | |
and I thought he would speak. Mr Patterson. I have to apologise. I am | :22:01. | :22:08. | |
grateful for you to calling me. Can he confirm that unless we have a | :22:09. | :22:12. | |
fully up and running executive, we cannot implement corporation tax | :22:13. | :22:14. | |
that will benefit every single citizen. I thought the right | :22:15. | :22:18. | |
honourable gentleman had come up to the chair and muttered some prosaic | :22:19. | :22:23. | |
pleasantry, which I readily greeted. It was very honest of him to say | :22:24. | :22:26. | |
that he was, I didn't know he was, and as far as I was concerned, he | :22:27. | :22:35. | |
wasn't! Secretary of State. Regrettably, in answer to my right | :22:36. | :22:39. | |
honourable friend's question, the answer is without an executive in | :22:40. | :22:43. | |
place, the devolution of corporation tax cannot happen, and I think it | :22:44. | :22:46. | |
underlines one of many reasons why an executive is needed to get onto | :22:47. | :22:53. | |
CD vision of prosperity and further investment is taking place, and how | :22:54. | :22:55. | |
an executive would certainly aid that. We welcome the statement. For | :22:56. | :23:03. | |
the rapid comedy Democratic Unionist Party was ready last Thursday to | :23:04. | :23:07. | |
form a government and appoint our ministers. There is no question of | :23:08. | :23:13. | |
any reticence on our part about forming an executive and we have | :23:14. | :23:16. | |
been encouraged by the government to do so. In addition to legacy, will | :23:17. | :23:23. | |
the government proceeds to publish the proposals on legacy in an event | :23:24. | :23:29. | |
and executive is not performed? We welcome what the Secretary of State | :23:30. | :23:33. | |
has said on donations. We support that. Will this extend to include | :23:34. | :23:38. | |
donations that are rooted by the Republic of Ireland to political | :23:39. | :23:41. | |
parties operating in Northern Ireland? Is the right honourable | :23:42. | :23:49. | |
gentleman may know, the consultation we ran in relation to political | :23:50. | :23:52. | |
transparency was on the narrow elements that were contained within | :23:53. | :23:57. | |
that. I know there are other issues and points that have been made, | :23:58. | :24:00. | |
including the matter that he has referenced in his own question. They | :24:01. | :24:06. | |
will remain under consideration. I also want to come back on his point | :24:07. | :24:14. | |
in respect of the issue of legacy. I think there is growing consensus | :24:15. | :24:20. | |
that we need to get on, get that consultation out there and show | :24:21. | :24:26. | |
everyone the work that has gone in around the fermentation of the | :24:27. | :24:31. | |
Stormont house bodies, actually starting to see that coming into | :24:32. | :24:35. | |
effect. I hope we will be able to move forward with that, and it will | :24:36. | :24:38. | |
take place following the establishment of an executive. Isn't | :24:39. | :24:46. | |
the simple truth this, that whereas the Democratic Unionist Party have | :24:47. | :24:49. | |
managed to obtain ?1 billion from the Treasury to spend on people of | :24:50. | :24:58. | |
Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein, Gerry Adams, those refusing to reform the | :24:59. | :25:03. | |
executive, are going to be in no position, is because there will be | :25:04. | :25:06. | |
no Sinn Fein minister in the executive, to make sure their | :25:07. | :25:10. | |
citizens constituents get the equal share of the money. Because the | :25:11. | :25:15. | |
money will be spent by ministers in this place by civil servants in | :25:16. | :25:21. | |
Northern Ireland. I think the simple point is by having an executive | :25:22. | :25:25. | |
there, a First Minister, and executive First Minister and others, | :25:26. | :25:29. | |
they will be able to make decisions on budgets, on all issues across the | :25:30. | :25:33. | |
whole of the community. The funding that has been outlined on issues | :25:34. | :25:39. | |
such as health, education, mental health, infrastructure and broadband | :25:40. | :25:43. | |
are profoundly for everyone across Northern Ireland, all communities | :25:44. | :25:46. | |
and how they will benefit from that. That underlines the need to have | :25:47. | :25:50. | |
that executive and to see that locally elected politicians are the | :25:51. | :25:57. | |
ones making those decisions. We are all pleased the Secretary of State | :25:58. | :26:00. | |
has said to us a deal is still possible within the next few days. | :26:01. | :26:05. | |
He will know as well as I do that trust is imperative in these talks. | :26:06. | :26:11. | |
Can he explain further why he is so reluctant to seal the deal between | :26:12. | :26:15. | |
the two sides in Northern Ireland, why are so reluctant to get the | :26:16. | :26:19. | |
Prime Minister and Taoiseach to go to Northern Ireland and get the | :26:20. | :26:26. | |
final things done to get the deal done? I hear the point the right | :26:27. | :26:30. | |
honourable gentleman makes in relation to this. I would stress the | :26:31. | :26:34. | |
Prime Minister has been actively involved throughout this whole | :26:35. | :26:38. | |
process. In having those meetings with all the party leaders, and in | :26:39. | :26:42. | |
talking she had a further conversation with the Taoiseach last | :26:43. | :26:47. | |
week about how matters were progressing and receiving updates | :26:48. | :26:52. | |
from myself and the Irish Foreign Minister to the Taoiseach as well. | :26:53. | :26:57. | |
To the extent that further interventions are required, we will | :26:58. | :27:01. | |
always keep that under review to see what will effectively bring about | :27:02. | :27:04. | |
resolution and see the executive I know he and I want to see in place. | :27:05. | :27:12. | |
Oliver Letwin. I of course understand the points my right | :27:13. | :27:16. | |
honourable friend is making about this situation can't go on forever. | :27:17. | :27:20. | |
One of the virtues required, and one of the many virtues in his arduous | :27:21. | :27:25. | |
post, is patience. I hope he can assure the house he will exhibit | :27:26. | :27:30. | |
that even beyond the level of the proverbial Saint, in order to get in | :27:31. | :27:36. | |
place the new executive. I'm grateful to my right honourable | :27:37. | :27:41. | |
friend for his support and his indication that some patience is | :27:42. | :27:45. | |
needed, but I would equally underlying to him that there has | :27:46. | :27:48. | |
been a lot of patients exhibited up to now. There is a lot of | :27:49. | :27:51. | |
frustration among the public of Northern Ireland who want to see | :27:52. | :27:55. | |
services for them acting in a way that needs to be undertaken to see | :27:56. | :27:59. | |
the sort of transformation that needs to happen in certain key | :28:00. | :28:03. | |
services, and why an executive is so desperately needed at the earliest | :28:04. | :28:09. | |
opportunity, to see politics performing for the best interests of | :28:10. | :28:12. | |
Northern Ireland and see that change happen. Alistair Carmichael. You | :28:13. | :28:18. | |
know I don't afternoon hanker after the days of Tony Blair -- I don't | :28:19. | :28:26. | |
often hanker. Under his stewardship we would have seen not just | :28:27. | :28:31. | |
involvement by the Prime Minister, but also making an active statement | :28:32. | :28:38. | |
to the house. It is with regret that the Prime Minister is not here | :28:39. | :28:42. | |
today. The Secretary of State is quite right when he says we need | :28:43. | :28:46. | |
transparency around political negotiations, but he must be aware | :28:47. | :28:49. | |
the house has already expressed its view on this. The date has been set | :28:50. | :28:57. | |
as the 1st of January 2014 so why does he now seek to change that? | :28:58. | :29:03. | |
It is about compliance with the regulations to see that those making | :29:04. | :29:09. | |
donations are able to make those determinations based on the law that | :29:10. | :29:13. | |
is in existence rather than looking at retrospection, but clearly there | :29:14. | :29:18. | |
will be further opportunity for the house to debate this issue but I | :29:19. | :29:21. | |
think that is the clearest way of doing it. Doctor Julian Lewis. | :29:22. | :29:26. | |
Whilst the political situation remains in limbo in Northern Ireland | :29:27. | :29:33. | |
elderly and frail British former soldiers are even now being brought | :29:34. | :29:39. | |
before the courts on serious charges whilst multiple terrorist murderers | :29:40. | :29:45. | |
walk free having served either derisory sentences or none at all | :29:46. | :29:49. | |
McCann the Secretary of State assure us that the government remains | :29:50. | :29:52. | |
focused on rectifying this inequality of treatment? -- can be | :29:53. | :29:59. | |
Secretary of State. I know that this is an issue that you have raised | :30:00. | :30:04. | |
consistently in this house and others, as well, and I commend them | :30:05. | :30:08. | |
for the focus they have given, but what I would say, as a government we | :30:09. | :30:13. | |
remain committed to implementing the Stormont house institutions and that | :30:14. | :30:18. | |
reform that is about fair and balanced and proportionate efforts | :30:19. | :30:22. | |
in respect of the investigations of the past. That is what the agreement | :30:23. | :30:27. | |
sets out very clearly, in applying the rule of law, but as I have said | :30:28. | :30:35. | |
before, I will never tire from the recognition that I have and others | :30:36. | :30:40. | |
across government have body tied his contribution that so many in our | :30:41. | :30:44. | |
security and Armed Forces provided to make sure that we have the piece | :30:45. | :30:54. | |
today -- will not tire of the contribution. When we established a | :30:55. | :31:01. | |
bold government in 2007, we did that because the Prime Minister of the | :31:02. | :31:05. | |
day spent 80 hours in St Andrews hands-on dealing with all parties | :31:06. | :31:12. | |
with the tea shop of Ireland -- establish a devolved government. The | :31:13. | :31:18. | |
point I want to ask though, given the billion pounds that is being | :31:19. | :31:21. | |
expended by the government, could he assure the house that no expenditure | :31:22. | :31:26. | |
decision will be taken in the absence of devolved government by | :31:27. | :31:29. | |
civil servants on expenditure priorities for that money? What I | :31:30. | :31:37. | |
would say is that there are clear needs in Northern Ireland which is | :31:38. | :31:42. | |
why I made the point that I did around the potential need for | :31:43. | :31:47. | |
further clarification is in the Northern Ireland civil service in | :31:48. | :31:50. | |
respect of budgetary issues, and also I would underline that last | :31:51. | :31:54. | |
week's statement recognised the particular needs and circumstances | :31:55. | :31:58. | |
of Northern Ireland and how there are urgent and pressing priorities | :31:59. | :32:01. | |
and that is why I think an executive needs to be put into place but | :32:02. | :32:06. | |
clearly acting in the best interests of Northern Ireland we will keep | :32:07. | :32:09. | |
that closely under review if the executive is not possible to be | :32:10. | :32:12. | |
formed in the coming days. Vicky Ford. I would like to ask about the | :32:13. | :32:21. | |
situation on board are especially regarding Brexit negotiations and as | :32:22. | :32:25. | |
a member of the house that was born in Northern Ireland I know how | :32:26. | :32:28. | |
important it is to not go back to the hardboard I remember from my | :32:29. | :32:34. | |
childhood. Given that the British negotiators and EU negotiators have | :32:35. | :32:38. | |
said they do not wish to see a hardboard, how soon can we make sure | :32:39. | :32:42. | |
that this situation is resolved in order to make that the people of | :32:43. | :32:46. | |
Northern Ireland know that their future is more certain? -- hard | :32:47. | :32:52. | |
border. As you will know from your experience, the issue of Northern | :32:53. | :32:56. | |
Ireland is a priority item in the Brexit negotiations and that | :32:57. | :33:01. | |
discussions have commenced and indeed the work that we continue to | :33:02. | :33:05. | |
do in that regard, providing that assurance around border and other | :33:06. | :33:09. | |
issues and how as a government we believe a solution can be found, | :33:10. | :33:13. | |
that there is goodwill on all sides in relation to finding that | :33:14. | :33:16. | |
solution, reaching that agreement through the Common travel area and | :33:17. | :33:21. | |
also looking at the issue of the movement of goods and services | :33:22. | :33:25. | |
across the border to make sure it remains invisible and seamless and | :33:26. | :33:28. | |
that is a clear and firm priority of this government to achieve. Sammy | :33:29. | :33:34. | |
Wilson. My party is also disappointed that the executive has | :33:35. | :33:39. | |
not been re-established after being brought down by Sinn Fein earlier | :33:40. | :33:44. | |
this year. We'll be Secretary of State confirmed that only one party | :33:45. | :33:48. | |
in Northern Ireland is insisting on any preconditions on the setting up | :33:49. | :33:52. | |
of the sector? -- will the. And that those preconditions are so | :33:53. | :33:58. | |
unreasonable, including the establishment of an Irish language | :33:59. | :34:00. | |
act which would cost tens of millions of pounds, and the | :34:01. | :34:05. | |
commitment by this party to overthrow its manifesto commitments | :34:06. | :34:10. | |
and the refusal to sit with Arlene Foster who won the last election, | :34:11. | :34:15. | |
will he confirm that those conditions amount to blackmail and | :34:16. | :34:18. | |
that the establishment of any executive on that basis would be | :34:19. | :34:21. | |
fragile and could not possibly exist? And maybe he could confirm, | :34:22. | :34:27. | |
has he given into Sinn Fein's demands? That there will be no | :34:28. | :34:31. | |
transparency of the funds they received to the Irish Republic to | :34:32. | :34:39. | |
their covers question not I know there are strong views on a number | :34:40. | :34:46. | |
of issues, and what I would say, I know that his party and Sinn Fein | :34:47. | :34:50. | |
continue in the discussions to find resolution on these issues and that | :34:51. | :34:55. | |
work and discussions are continuing today. Shortly before this session | :34:56. | :35:04. | |
started. To resolve differences. I think it is that element where focus | :35:05. | :35:09. | |
needs to lie, to see that we have any executive performing in the best | :35:10. | :35:12. | |
interest of Northern Ireland which I know his party has indicated that | :35:13. | :35:16. | |
they want to see. And therefore I think it is that focused that we | :35:17. | :35:21. | |
will continue to support all the parties involved in this process to | :35:22. | :35:26. | |
find that resolution to look beyond difference of parties, recognising | :35:27. | :35:31. | |
also that the political process in Northern Ireland is respect shall, | :35:32. | :35:36. | |
something that so many people have worked so hard to get to this point | :35:37. | :35:40. | |
and I think he and others would all want to see that progressing into | :35:41. | :35:45. | |
the future and seeing that we see that positive bright future for | :35:46. | :35:47. | |
Northern Ireland across all communities. Thank you very much. | :35:48. | :35:55. | |
The additional funds committed in Northern Ireland continues to be | :35:56. | :35:57. | |
wrongly labelled as money for a single party in the province, will | :35:58. | :36:02. | |
the signatory of state confirm that this is money for the whole province | :36:03. | :36:06. | |
to be spent by all parties and it represents a billion more reasons | :36:07. | :36:09. | |
for political leadership to be restored at Stormont? -- Secretary | :36:10. | :36:15. | |
of State. You make a very clear and important point, that the funding | :36:16. | :36:20. | |
package that was announced last week was very firmly for the benefit of | :36:21. | :36:25. | |
all the communities to actually see that investment in infrastructure. | :36:26. | :36:30. | |
That has not kept pace with other parts of the UK, to deal with issues | :36:31. | :36:34. | |
where we have employment rates which are behind other nations of the | :36:35. | :36:39. | |
United Kingdom and also to deal with reform inserting keep up its | :36:40. | :36:45. | |
services, that is for the benefit of all in Northern Ireland and while we | :36:46. | :36:49. | |
want to see the executive make decisions and seeing them feeding | :36:50. | :36:53. | |
the benefit of that, I think that provides the real benefit and | :36:54. | :36:56. | |
potential which we want to see seized -- feeling. This crisis has | :36:57. | :37:04. | |
meandered across Vics Munce, two elections and two and a half missed | :37:05. | :37:12. | |
deadlines -- across two elections. There is a time for intervention, | :37:13. | :37:18. | |
why won't the Prime Minister go to Belfast with the tea shop and find a | :37:19. | :37:23. | |
resolution to this that we all want to see. I agree that we do want to | :37:24. | :37:31. | |
see this resolution, and that there have been interventions that have | :37:32. | :37:34. | |
been made by the UK Government, the Irish government and also seeking | :37:35. | :37:43. | |
that, those supportive voices to assist in community and elsewhere to | :37:44. | :37:46. | |
get the parties focus on seeing the bigger picture and looking beyond | :37:47. | :37:50. | |
difference and being able to get the executive formed. We will use all | :37:51. | :37:54. | |
interventions appropriately to get that outcome and that is why I make | :37:55. | :37:57. | |
the point about the work the Prime Minister has done. Which I have done | :37:58. | :38:02. | |
and the Irish government have done and which the Irish remains to have | :38:03. | :38:07. | |
done, but also the fact that time is progressing -- the Irish Foreign | :38:08. | :38:16. | |
Minister has done. We no time is moving on and if we don't see | :38:17. | :38:21. | |
resolution quickly there will be a need to do various steps round | :38:22. | :38:24. | |
budgets and other issues and why we are still working hard to support | :38:25. | :38:29. | |
the parties but ultimately it is for the parties to reach that agreement | :38:30. | :38:37. | |
and to see that bridge... Those divides crossed, so the executive is | :38:38. | :38:40. | |
formed and I can assure him of the urgency and the attention and time | :38:41. | :38:43. | |
and effort which is made in that regard. Nigel Mills. As the only | :38:44. | :38:50. | |
member on this side of the chamber to vote for transparency to | :38:51. | :38:56. | |
donations,, well, can I welcome what he has said. Will there be no more | :38:57. | :39:03. | |
need for any more money from Westminster to get this deal over | :39:04. | :39:08. | |
the line with the DUP? The funds that were announced last week | :39:09. | :39:14. | |
clearly, they should provide that sense of opportunity, that sense of | :39:15. | :39:19. | |
potential on those issues that were clearly of relevance to Northern | :39:20. | :39:23. | |
Ireland, on the lack of transport infrastructure compared to other | :39:24. | :39:28. | |
parts of the UK and the issue of digital and broadband which has | :39:29. | :39:31. | |
lagged behind other parts of the UK, and I think it should give that | :39:32. | :39:37. | |
sense of incentive and opportunity of how an executive can deliver and | :39:38. | :39:40. | |
get on with so many of the things that it wants to see. Dennis | :39:41. | :39:46. | |
Skinner. Is the minister aware that this impasse in Northern Ireland has | :39:47. | :39:51. | |
been complicated by the fact that the result of the general election | :39:52. | :39:55. | |
has meant that the government has had to get involved in a protection | :39:56. | :40:02. | |
money racket in system of ?1 billion, and the only way to get rid | :40:03. | :40:08. | |
of that, may I say, as a suggestion, is for the Prime Minister to call | :40:09. | :40:14. | |
another general election. We know that she is frightened to death of | :40:15. | :40:18. | |
doing it because she knows that the Labour Party would win. And we would | :40:19. | :40:22. | |
form a government which would get rid of this almighty mess and there | :40:23. | :40:28. | |
would be no protection racket money and we would have a decent Labour | :40:29. | :40:32. | |
government that would get rid of austerity. Get on with it. It sounds | :40:33. | :40:43. | |
as if the honourable gentleman has not recognised the result of the | :40:44. | :40:49. | |
last election and whilst the house will be interested in his comments, | :40:50. | :40:53. | |
I don't think they will make any difference in solving the real | :40:54. | :40:55. | |
problem is that we are wrestling with in Northern Ireland. Jonathan | :40:56. | :41:05. | |
Edwards. If direct rule is imposed, can the joint ministerial committee | :41:06. | :41:10. | |
on European negotiations perform this role without the participation | :41:11. | :41:15. | |
of the parts of the British state? As I have indicated in my statement, | :41:16. | :41:21. | |
we are very firmly not looking at interventions that are even getting | :41:22. | :41:24. | |
to the point that he's alluding to and that would profoundly not be in | :41:25. | :41:29. | |
the interests of Northern Ireland to be heading down that way which is | :41:30. | :41:32. | |
why I made the point about the executive and the best way to | :41:33. | :41:36. | |
address his point by seeing the executive into place and having a | :41:37. | :41:42. | |
Deputy First Minister representing Northern Ireland and arguing very | :41:43. | :41:45. | |
firmly in their interests on Brexit and other issues will stop Kevin | :41:46. | :41:51. | |
Brennan. This is an unusual parliament, there is no | :41:52. | :41:54. | |
representation because of the loss of seats by the SDLP and the welcome | :41:55. | :41:57. | |
continued refusal of Sinn Fein to take their seats in this chamber. -- | :41:58. | :42:05. | |
the unwelcome. There is no representation of Irish nationalist | :42:06. | :42:10. | |
opinion for many decades. Given what the Secretary of State said about | :42:11. | :42:12. | |
the possibility of having to bring forward legislation in the near | :42:13. | :42:16. | |
future regarding Northern Ireland, how will he make sure that that | :42:17. | :42:21. | |
strain of opinion from Northern Ireland is fully taken into account | :42:22. | :42:27. | |
in the consideration of legislation? I'm very conscious in my role as | :42:28. | :42:31. | |
Secretary of State in listening to voices from all parts of the | :42:32. | :42:37. | |
community and in this house there are no voices from the nationalist | :42:38. | :42:41. | |
community which is represented and therefore I will continue to engage | :42:42. | :42:48. | |
intensively with all parties in Northern Ireland to continue to | :42:49. | :42:50. | |
listen and to hear specific points that they make. And make sure that | :42:51. | :42:56. | |
that is reflected in my own consideration and the consideration | :42:57. | :42:58. | |
of government more broadly as we look at the legislators | :42:59. | :43:07. | |
programmatic. -- programme ahead. The Secretary of State will know my | :43:08. | :43:10. | |
other commitment to devolution but at some point there needs to be a | :43:11. | :43:15. | |
realisation that the parrot could possibly be dead and that it is no | :43:16. | :43:22. | |
more, and if that's the case regarding evolution, can he put a | :43:23. | :43:28. | |
time frame on the life expectancy that is ultimately left in this dead | :43:29. | :43:33. | |
bird? Will appropriations be moved before the summer recess? The head | :43:34. | :43:39. | |
of the Northern Ireland civil service has indicated that we are | :43:40. | :43:42. | |
not at that point yet in terms of the need for an appropriations bill | :43:43. | :43:48. | |
to be passed. I think we are still a little way away from that. | :43:49. | :43:52. | |
Nevertheless, there are urging issues which do need to be addressed | :43:53. | :43:57. | |
in terms of the financial position in Northern Ireland and why I made | :43:58. | :44:00. | |
the points I did my statement around the need for further assurance to be | :44:01. | :44:06. | |
granted, and I would say that I think there is still very firmly | :44:07. | :44:09. | |
life there and I would say that the engagement we continue to see and I | :44:10. | :44:12. | |
would say that I think there is still very firmly life there and I | :44:13. | :44:14. | |
would say that the engagement we continue to see is profoundly that | :44:15. | :44:17. | |
is what is is still very firmly life there and I would say that the | :44:18. | :44:20. | |
engagement we continue to see profoundly that is what is in the | :44:21. | :44:22. | |
interests of Northern Ireland, to have locally elected politicians | :44:23. | :44:24. | |
serving the community in Northern Ireland which I know he believes in | :44:25. | :44:27. | |
very strongly and as a government we will not be giving up on that. We | :44:28. | :44:29. | |
are working tirelessly to make sure that we see this reconciliation and | :44:30. | :44:33. | |
that we see this outcome, that we know is what Northern Ireland needs, | :44:34. | :44:37. | |
and I earnestly hope that with the efforts that continue to be given | :44:38. | :44:42. | |
that we will see that progress and see the invitation of a | :44:43. | :44:44. | |
power-sharing executive in a very short period of time. -- | :44:45. | :44:45. | |
implication. Secretary Sajid Javid. With | :44:46. | :44:59. | |
permission Mr Speaker, I would like to update the house on the | :45:00. | :45:03. | |
government's response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and safety | :45:04. | :45:07. | |
inspection of cladding in other public buildings. Almost three weeks | :45:08. | :45:12. | |
have passed since the tragedy. Progress has been made to help the | :45:13. | :45:15. | |
survivors and those in the surrounding buildings affected. | :45:16. | :45:18. | |
Landlords across the country have taken measures to make the building | :45:19. | :45:22. | |
is safe. Sir Martin Moore Bic has | :45:23. | :45:24. |