Northern Ireland Bill (Allocation of Time)

So that the hon. Gentleman does not put an unhelpful construction on it, let me explain why the outcome was agreed. It was recognised that, as policing and justice had not been dealt with in any Assembly for decades, it would be best to have the operation up and running under an agreed system: let us see where the problems lie and where the improvements can be made, and then we can design the more permanent model. No ulterior motives were involved.