Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill

moved Amendment No. 46: 46: After Clause 39, insert the following new Clause— ““Duration of sections 20 to 39 (1) Sections 20 to 39 shall (subject to subsection (2)) cease to have effect at the end of the period of one year beginning with the day on which it is brought into force. (2) The Secretary of State may by order provide— (a) that a provision of sections 20 to 39 which is in force (whether or not by virtue of this subsection) shall continue in force for a specified period not exceeding twelve months; (b) that a provision of sections 20 to 39 shall cease to have effect; (c) that a provision of sections 20 to 39 which is not in force (whether or not by virtue of this subsection) shall come into force and remain in force for a period not exceeding twelve months. (3) No order may be made under this section unless a draft of it has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House.”” The noble Baroness said: I shall speak also to the Question whether Clause 40 shall stand part of the Bill. Opposition to that clause also stands in the name of my noble friend Lord Smith of Clifton. I shall be extremely brief. Amendment No. 46 is a simple repeal and renewal clause. It states that the provisions of Clauses 20 to 39 will lapse at the end of a 12-month period but that they can be renewed by statutory instrument for a further 12 months. It also provides the Secretary of State with the flexibility to repeal, renew or bring into effect any of Clauses 20 to 39 if the Government believe that to be required. Similar mechanisms are in place for, among other things, the arms decommissioning schemes in Northern Ireland and the use of control orders in the UK as a whole. Our opposition to Clause 40 is simply consequential. I beg to move.