Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Wednesday Volume 530 6 July 2011 No. 183 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 6 July 2011 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2011 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] 1491 6 JULY 2011 1492 However, I would put out a public appeal to all those House of Commons who are considering expressing their views over the next few days. They, too, should show restraint. I remind Wednesday 6 July 2011 them that the rule of law will prevail, and that this week, significant prosecutions have resulted from charges The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock against those who broke the law a year ago. PRAYERS Jake Berry: Does my right hon. Friend agree that close co-operation between the PSNI, the Garda, and Ministers here, in Belfast and in Dublin, is essential in R PEAKER in the Chair [M S ] combating the ongoing terrorist threat? Will he join me in congratulating the Garda on its recent discovery of Oral Answers to Questions an arms cache and arrests in County Louth? Mr Paterson: It is almost impossible to stress how closely we are now working. Last week, I met Eamon NORTHERN IRELAND Gilmore, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and I had several discussions in the last week The Secretary of State was asked— with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence. I also recently saw the Garda commissioner. The Garda Security Situation is to be wholly congratulated on its recent raid at Hackballscross in County Louth, where a significant 1. Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con): What recent amount of lethal matériel was apprehended. I am delighted assessment he has made of the threat to security in to confirm that the co-operation with the PSNI gets Northern Ireland posed by residual terrorist groups. better from month to month. [63167] Karl McCartney: Does my right hon. Friend agree 6. Jake Berry (Rossendale and Darwen) (Con): What that at a time of such pressure on the public finances, recent assessment he has made of the threat to security the exceptional deal to the give the PSNI an extra in Northern Ireland posed by residual terrorist groups. £200 million over the next four years is a clear demonstration [63173] that this Government will always stand by Northern 7. Karl McCartney (Lincoln) (Con): What recent Ireland? assessment he has made of the security situation in Mr Paterson: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. giving me the chance to remind the House that we [63174] endorsed £50 million last year and a further unprecedented 8. Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire) (Con): What £200 million over the next four years. We are absolutely recent assessment he has made of the threat to security determined to bear down on the current threat, and I in Northern Ireland posed by residual terrorist groups. am delighted that Matt Baggot, the Chief Constable, to [63175] whom I spoke this morning, confirmed that we “have the resources, the resilience and…the commitment” The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen to meet that threat. Paterson): With your permission, Mr Speaker, I believe that the House will want to pay tribute to Sir Oliver Glyn Davies: All of us in the House are concerned Napier, whose funeral was held yesterday. He was a about the recent violence in east Belfast and acknowledge founding father and leader of the Alliance party, and a the challenges facing the PSNI. Does my right hon. member of the power-sharing Executive in 1974. He led Friend agree that there is a very significant role for the the way towards inclusive politics, and was widely respected Northern Ireland Executive in tackling the underlying across the entire community. He will be much missed. causes that fuel that violence? The threat level in Northern Ireland remains at severe. Despite the overwhelming community rejection of violence, Mr Paterson: I am grateful to my hon. Friend and the terrorist groups continue to pose an indiscriminate constituency neighbour for his question. The problem threat to the safety of police officers and the general cannot be contained by security activity alone, however public, who want their lives to be free of fear, disruption well co-ordinated and well funded by the PSNI and the and intimidation. Garda. Ultimately, this must be sorted out on the ground, by local politicians working with local people. Graham Evans: The violent scenes that we have witnessed That was confirmed in the Independent Monitoring in part of east Belfast in recent days are obviously a Commission report that said: matter of great concern. Will my right hon. Friend join “The main responsibility for dealing with these challenges rests me in sending our support and gratitude to the Police with the Assembly, the Executive and local politicians, working in Service of Northern Ireland for its restraint, courage conjunction with community leaders, churches, the law enforcement and success in combating that disorder as well as the and other public institutions, and ultimately, with the…whole continuing terrorist threat in Northern Ireland? community”. Mr Paterson: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP): In 2004, question and I wholly endorse his comments. I happily Jane Kennedy, the then Northern Ireland Office Minister, put on record the Government’s deep appreciation of told the House that an inventory of all decommissioned the restraint and skill with which the PSNI handled the weapons would be published when the Independent recent disturbances. International Commission on Decommissioning had 1493 Oral Answers6 JULY 2011 Oral Answers 1494 completed its work. The IICD stood down on Monday, Chris Evans: I am sure that the Minister will have but no inventory was published. Will the Secretary of seen that 59,500 people are signed on the dole in Northern State tell the House why that pledge was not honoured, Ireland. Whenever anyone losses their job, it is a tragedy and does he accept that that will affect public confidence? for their family and causes hurt and pain. What are the Government going to do about it? Mr Paterson: The IICD made it clear why it did not publish an inventory. We would like to be in the Mr Swire: I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s interest in position to publish this data, as the then Member Northern Ireland, and I hope that it will continue. I for Liverpool, Wavertree, Jane Kennedy, was back in hope also that he will join me in celebrating the jobs 2003-04, but the success of the IICD has been its that the service sector in Northern Ireland has attracted. independence, and it is for it to decide—it is entirely The New York stock exchange has attracted 400 new within its remit—where it puts this information. It is jobs; Citigroup financial services will attract 500 jobs now in the hands of the US Secretary of State and over the next five years; and the law firm Allen and cannot be divulged without the prior agreement of the Overy has attracted 300 jobs in Belfast. To answer his Irish and British Governments. question directly, I would say that Northern Ireland is a great place for the service industries. It is open and we Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down) (SDLP): I want more investment, and I hope that he and his party acknowledge the information that the Secretary of State will join us in making that happen. has just given us about dissident activity, the report published by the Independent Monitoring Commission Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South and Whiston) last Monday and the fact that the level of dissident (Lab): Well that all sounds very good, but in the past activity is now higher than when it published its first 12 months, the Northern Ireland claimant count has report in 2004. The report stated that loyalist groups increased by 7%. That is the biggest increase in the UK were finding it difficult to contemplate going out of and 21 times the national average. The Minister will business. In that context, does he agree that whatever we know that the Northern Bank/Oxford Economics survey do to bring the paramilitary activity to a peaceful has now dramatically downgraded economic growth conclusion, it will not be achieved by throwing money forecasts in Northern Ireland to 1.1% from a previous at gang leaders, as has been suggested in east Belfast forecast of 1.9%. The Northern Ireland economy needs over the past few weeks? help now. What is the Minister going to do? Mr Paterson: I just quoted from the IMC report Mr Swire: It is regrettable that the Secretary of State showing that these problems will not be resolved by one is talking Northern Ireland down—[Interruption.] The simple solution. They have to be resolved on the ground independent Office for Budget Responsibility’s recent by working with local people at the closest level. That updated fiscal and economic forecasts show that the means down to community groups and local politicians. Government’s plans will deliver sustainable growth in It is not for us to lay down the law from Westminster. each of the next five years with employment rising by That is now in local hands. 1.1 million by 2015 across the UK and the deficit falling.