Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Bill

The Bill creates an enabling environment. That is why the time frame is put in the way that it is. As regards the promises that the IRA made on 28 July and the decommissioning of its arsenal, which General John de Chastelain announced on 26 September, and the consequences that that will have for activity on the ground, which the hon. Lady and I want closed down for good, we will have to await the reports of the Independent Monitoring Commission—the next one is due in January—to see what has been delivered and whether the promises have been kept. While the security situation is far from perfect—the violent events at Whiterock last month are evidence of that—no one could deny that the security situation has changed fundamentally as a result of the events of the past couple of months. On 28 July 2005, the Provisional IRA made an historic statement, announcing an end to the armed conflict and ordering all members to dump arms. In response, I announced on 1 August 2005 the triggering of a programme of security normalisation measures. That sees a gradual reduction in the security infrastructure in Northern Ireland and a reduction in troop numbers to garrison level, and culminates in the repeal of counter-terrorism legislation particular to Northern Ireland. On 26 September 2005, the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning reported that the totality of the IRA’s arsenal had been put beyond use. Like the statement on 28 July, that was a seismic step by the IRA, but we need to be sure that it has ended paramilitary and criminal activity for good. The January report of the IMC will help us to make that assessment.