Electoral Administration Act 2006 (Regulation of Loans etc.: Northern Ireland) Order 2008

My Lords, I would like to reassure the Minister that my contribution will be no longer than that of any other noble Lord who has spoken. I am much in his debt for having explained the background to this, which I would have had a little difficulty in following had he not done so. It is clear from the welcome that the order has received around the House that your Lordships approve of what the Government are doing. Since I am by nature an optimist, and since I recall with vividness the remarkable way in which the late great Lord Williams of Mostyn, who was once responsible for Northern Ireland affairs in your Lordships’ House, turned the Bill on voting, postal votes and registration in Northern Ireland electoral matters totally around between Second Reading and Third Reading in this House, the Bill having already gone through the House of Commons where Mr Desmond Browne was not able at that stage to exercise the degree of influence that Lord Williams of Mostyn used, I believe the tremendous success of that legislation in regulating Northern Ireland affairs could very well be emulated across the face of the United Kingdom. If at any stage the Government choose to extrapolate from the example of Lord Williams of Mostyn, I think they will find that that also is welcomed on these Benches.