Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (Amendment) Order 2009

I apologise to the noble Baroness but after a few seconds she may discover why I am being somewhat impudent in rising to speak. She referred to 1984 and I suspect that, if we look back to the relevant tome, she will find that I was in the position that she is in now without the knowledge that I gleaned during those years. Many of the points that I had in mind concerning newspapers have been raised by the noble Lord, Lord Kilclooney. I seem to recall that when my department—the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland, as it then was—wished to promote various pieces of information, there was great panic in Belfast about the number of local organs of communication. The noble Lord mentioned the Belfast News Letter but, going even further west than Dungannon, he may be aware of the wide influence of the Mid Ulster Mail, not to mention the Tyrone Democrat. County Fermanagh has two newspapers: not just the Impartial Reporter but the Fermanagh Herald. I believe that much of what the noble Lord suggested concerning special little supplements, with the co-operation of the local newspapers, will alleviate many of the problems that have been considered. What I have in mind, above all, are details concerning where and when one can vote. I wonder whether the Belfast News Letter, let alone the Financial Times or other great organs of world communication, is widely taken account of in Newtownstewart or elsewhere. The noble Lord should be careful: I am considered to be something of an intellectual in my home town because I take the Financial Times during the week. That may have something to do with the fact that I have time to read it here or on train journeys. I hope that the noble Baroness will be able to take on board the excellent suggestion that local newspapers may be willing to help by producing a supplement. They are widely read and are very close to the polling stations and to what one might call the scene of the action. Therefore, they would probably be the best channel through which to promote exactly what she is trying to promote. I conclude by voicing my uncertainty about 2010, as my noble friend did so eloquently. Will it happen in December or the cold days of January?