I thank the Minister for setting out the measures in the Bill. We will not oppose it, as it is necessary to allow civil servants to keep running Departments in Northern Ireland in the absence of an Executive. It is also welcome that Northern Ireland Department accounts will be laid before Parliament, to allow some scrutiny in this period.
Of course, what we would all like to see instead of this Bill is the restoration of accountable local government. Six months ago, on Second Reading of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Bill, I said—