Wednesday Volume 539 25 January 2012 No. 255 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 25 January 2012 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 281 25 JANUARY 2012 282 Mr Paterson: I entirely sympathise with the concerns House of Commons of the hon. Gentleman and his constituents. We believe in the separation of powers, and the decision was made Wednesday 25 January 2012 by due process. I am delighted that there was one conviction for that appalling incident. I assure the hon. Gentleman that, as he knows from our private discussions, The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock the Government will bear down on all terrorists. We have brought a further £200 million to Northern Ireland at the request of the Chief Constable, and we will stand PRAYERS by the PSNI and all those working to eradicate that very small number of totally unhinged, dangerous people. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Mark Durkan (Foyle) (SDLP): As the Member for the city of Derry, may I inform the Secretary of State that the overwhelming majority of its citizens deplore Oral Answers to Questions and resent the dissidents’ acts of civic sabotage on Ireland’s fourth city? Given the right hon. Gentleman’s locus on some security matters, what input does he have NORTHERN IRELAND into the justice and security Green Paper, and what engagement is he having with the devolved authorities about its implications for Northern Ireland? The Secretary of State was asked— Security Situation Mr Paterson: I wholly sympathise with the hon. Gentleman’s thoughts on behalf of his constituents. Last 1. Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke) (Con): week’s attacks were completely incomprehensible to any What recent assessment he has made of the security sane person: elderly people in a home and disadvantaged situation in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a young people in a home were at real risk. I pay full statement. [90822] tribute to the incredible bravery and professionalism of those PSNI officers who led the evacuation. I assure the The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen hon. Gentleman that I work closely with David Ford, Paterson): The threat level in Northern Ireland remains the Justice Minister, and the Chief Constable. I spoke to at severe, meaning that a terrorist attack is highly likely. them both this morning, and we are liaising on the Despite overwhelming community rejection of their justice Green Paper. murderous activity, terrorist groups continue to carry out indiscriminate attacks, as we saw in Londonderry last Vernon Coaker (Gedling) (Lab): I associate myself week. The Government remain committed to countering with the Secretary of State’s remarks about the PSNI terrorism in all its forms. and others in Northern Ireland who are combating the threat. Jack Lopresti: What measures is my right hon. Friend Last week saw the inspirational launch of an exciting taking to ensure that young people do not gravitate to tourist initiative for Northern Ireland, NI 2012. When joining paramilitary organisations? so many people are doing so much work to create a better future, does the Secretary of State agree that last Mr Paterson: My hon. Friend touches on an important week’s bomb attacks in Derry/Londonderry were reckless point. The problem cannot be solved by containment and futile? Will he guarantee to the people of Northern alone, although we pay full tribute to the Police Service Ireland that all those coping with the terrorist threat are of Northern Ireland and all those who are working in given our full support and the resources that they need our security effort. The Prime Minister said that he to deal with any future threat? wants a shared future, not a shared-out future, in Northern Ireland, and we are working closely with the devolved Mr Paterson: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his Administration. Only last week, Eamon Gilmore, the supportive comments and for the support he gives me Tánaiste, was in Northern Ireland talking to the First on that in private. He is absolutely right to condemn the Minister and Deputy First Minister about the very attacks, which play absolutely no part in the future of schemes to which my hon. Friend refers. A review is Northern Ireland. taking place to see which are the most effective, and which could be endorsed for a future PEACE IV On support for the PSNI, as I have just said, the programme. Chief Constable requested extra funds soon after the Government came to office and we delivered £200 million Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP): Does over the next four years. He is quoted in April last year the Secretary of State understand the anger and fear as saying: that is felt in my constituency and, indeed, throughout “We have the resources, we have the resilience and we have the Northern Ireland, in the light of the release of Colin commitment.” Duffy, a person charged on three different occasions with the murder of innocent people, who always seems Vernon Coaker: I again assure the Secretary of State to find a get-out card? What assurance can the Secretary of the Opposition’s full co-operation in dealing with of State give my constituents that they will be safe from those matters. He will know that responsibility for brutal terrorists such as Colin Duffy, and not become national security in Northern Ireland rests with him. another statistic in a long line of innocent victims? What assessment has he made of the effectiveness of 283 Oral Answers25 JANUARY 2012 Oral Answers 284 the security services’ performance and the implementation Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) (Lab): An Aviva survey of the five key national security protocols agreed between released this week showed that a quarter of small the security services and the PSNI at St Andrews? business owners are thinking of jacking in running their own business and instead trying to get a job because Mr Paterson: I am happy to confirm that Lord Carlile, their situation is so difficult. Are Ministers in the Northern in his third annual report earlier this year, confirmed Ireland Executive as frustrated as the rest of the country that MI5 and the PSNI are working very closely together. at the lack of growth that this Government are delivering? More work could not be done more energetically to deal with the difficult dissident republican threat. Mr Swire: We have many things to celebrate in Northern Ireland that are occasionally eclipsed by other news Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab): stories. Today, Muldoon Transport Systems in Dungannon The devolution of policing and justice reinforced the has secured a £1 million contract to supply 19 trailers to determination of the political parties in Northern Ireland one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest businesses. Nearly a third to face down the small minority who still engage in of London buses are manufactured in Ballymena by violence, but legislation stipulates that the Justice Wrightbus. I look forward to joining the hon. Gentleman Department will disappear in May unless the Assembly for an early summer holiday on one of Boris’s Ballymena resolves that it should continue. Will the Secretary of buses after Boris wins the mayoral elections. State update the House on the current thinking within It is worth pointing out that Northern Ireland has the Executive and the details of any action he might won 7% of foreign direct investment to the UK with need to take to maintain progress? only 2.8% of the population, and that Belfast attracts more foreign direct investment than any UK city outside Mr Paterson: I pay tribute to the right hon. Gentleman’s London. Those are good news stories in Northern hard work when he ran security under direct rule. As he Ireland on which we intend to build. rightly says, the position is that the current arrangements cease in May this year. Negotiations are going on within the Executive between the First Minister and the Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con): Does Deputy First Minister, in which the Government are the Minister share my concern about the number of also involved. As I understand it, the incumbent, David jobs that could be lost in Northern Ireland as a result of Ford, has the full support of the First Minister and the carbon price floor—a tax that does not exist in the Deputy First Minister. For the Government’s part, where Republic of Ireland? we have overlapping roles, we have strong support for him and get on with him extremely well. I was in Dublin Mr Swire: My hon. Friend, the Chairman of the recently and I can confirm that Alan Shatter, the Irish Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, has raised that Justice and Equality Minister, also enjoys working with with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who in David Ford. I hope that in due course this will become— turn raised it with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is discussing it with the Northern Ireland Finance Mr Speaker: Order. I am very grateful to the Secretary Minister, the hon. Member for East Antrim (Sammy of State. Wilson), who is in his place, and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury. They will report shortly. Private Sector Job Creation Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down) (SDLP): Will the Minister provide us with a progress report on the resolution 2.