Northern Ireland

I also thank the Secretary of State for early sight of his statement. The Liberal Democrats welcome the IMC’s statement that the IRA no longer presents a terrorist threat, but we share the Secretary of State’s concern and, indeed, that of the Conservative spokesperson regarding the ongoing involvement of paramilitaries in criminal activity. Can the Secretary of State give us an assurance that the Government still regard organised paramilitary crime as a breach of ceasefire? On the Government’s clear targets for the Assembly’s reconstitution, we also agree that decisions on matters such as health, transport and education are best taken locally, by locally elected politicians. I must press the Secretary of State to answer the questions that he has already been asked. Rather than saying that he would take account of a unanimous view of a reconstituted and properly functioning Assembly, why does he not give us an assurance that the Government will respond literally to cross-party opposition to, for example, the introduction of tuition fees in Northern Ireland, which he knows commanded the unanimous opposition of parties in Northern Ireland? Can the Secretary of State give us an assurance that, if a reconstituted Assembly were to vote unanimously in opposition to, for example, tuition fees, the Government would repeal those fees? Similarly, can he be a bit more specific about what he means by taking account of the views of Northern Ireland politicians in a reconstituted Assembly on the profound changes proposed to the secondary system of selection? Can he assure us that, rather than simply taking account of and then ignoring the Assembly’s views, the Government will act on them, even if the Government are forced to act differently in Northern Ireland from the way in which they have acted in England and Wales? Finally, if this latest effort is to restore the Assembly properly, the Government must establish round-table and inclusive negotiations that genuinely involve all political parties. There must be no question of secret side deals, with one or two parties. Does the Secretary of State recognise therefore that, to achieve a permanent solution, all parties must be involved. Indeed, different deals with different parties undermine the talks process. If the Government want to achieve a lasting settlement, they must ensure that everyone works together, even if that is more time consuming than the quick-fix solutions that we have seen in the past. Although I have always been an optimist about the peace process, I have sometimes been a cynic about the Government’s plans, because of the temptation to seek tactical answers in a strategic debate. If the Secretary of State can confirm that inclusive talks really are all-party talks and that they will be truly transparent and not involve secret, unwritten or written unilateral deals with individual parties, he can be most certainly assured of Liberal Democrat support...We have already told you.