Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (Amnesty Period) Order 2009

My Lords, it has been said in the House tonight that Northern Ireland is moving on. That is true. It is slowly going in the right direction. However, it will only continue to go in the right direction when paramilitaries have ceased to exist. For too long the law-breaker in Northern Ireland has been tolerated I would like the Minister this evening to reassure the House and the people of Northern Ireland that it is for real this time. There can be no extension under any circumstances. That will encourage those who hold on to their weapons and those under the banner of dissidents. They are watching closely. Are the Government for real or is this another wolf cry? The noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Eames, stated it correctly, when he mentioned criminality. There is little doubt—little doubt—that these weapons are being held on to by criminals to extort and torment communities who just want to see the back of them. I hope that the noble Baroness will make a clear and unambiguous statement tonight that this is the last extension and that nothing further will be tolerated. Indeed, she said—I hope that I quote her correctly—that the Government want to give a message of the seriousness of their intent. If the Government do that tonight, it will bring some comfort to those who live in dread and fear of those who carry these guns in order to destroy lives, to exploit people, to torment them and to keep them in their grip. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s assurance on that.