I shall be short, sharp and to the point. I have listened to the contributions today, and feel that I must take Members back to what the Bill is about,
which is to enable the “Fresh Start” agreement to be implemented in law. That is the basis on which we must draw the line of consensus. I have heard the arguments of the SDLP that the “Fresh Start” agreement was not really a consensus—that actually no one was massively behind it.
3 pm
The fact is that the consensus was achieved after dozens and dozens of meetings throughout the autumn between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister and the other parties of Northern Ireland. That was the starting point.
In relation to this group of amendments, I have to refer hon. Members to paragraphs 2.6 and 2.7 of section A of the “Fresh Start” agreement, which is where the consensus was arrived at to allow us even to venture into changing the Standing Orders of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the purpose of amending the taking of the oath. That is as far as the consensus allows us to go; we cannot go beyond that.
The hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) has been clear about her frustration over whether the Assembly will make Standing Orders to deal with breaches of the oath and of any other areas around paramilitarism. More than anyone else on the Government Benches, I understand the dangers of the paramilitaries, and am very, very keen to rub them out of history in Northern Ireland, but the fact is that the Northern Ireland Assembly set their Standing Orders to ensure that Members of the Legislative Assembly stick to their pledge and, should they not do so, to take a range of sanctions against them. That is in 69B of the Standing Orders. It is very important, therefore, that we say that it is for the Northern Ireland Assembly to set out their procedures to deal with those matters.
I understand the frustrations that have been expressed —we have listened to them—but that does not detract from the very important issue that our consensus starts and finishes with the “Fresh Start” agreement and, as it is specified, we cannot go beyond that. I have heard what hon. Members have had to say, but unfortunately the Government will not accept the amendments placed before us today.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 6 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.