Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]

When I was on a treadmill in the gym this morning and last night, I read the debates in Committee...

I thank the Secretary of State for moving Second Reading today. Does he understand that, when it ...

The former leader of the hon. Gentleman’s party, Dame Arlene Foster, recognised in January 2020 t...

I am listening intently to the Secretary of State, and he is right to quote the former First Mini...

I am always happy to listen to the hon. Gentleman’s contributions in this House.

I am glad to see the Secretary of State implementing these key parts of New Decade, New Approach....

The Government are committed to delivering on New Decade, New Approach and all its commitments. T...

I concur with the Secretary of State that the Bill broadly reflects New Decade, New Approach. On ...

I believe that this can be celebrated across all communities and in all ways with the respect it ...

Does my right hon. Friend agree that modern, 21st-century Northern Ireland is home to a large num...

I thank my right hon. Friend for his wise counsel on this matter. I was having a conversation ear...

As the earlier intervention pointed out, while we agonise over an Irish language commitment there...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his contribution. This serious subject was well debated in t...

The Secretary of State is right to say that the two commissioners have distinct jobs, but the imp...

I would never like to disagree with the right hon. Gentleman, but I would like to think that when...

I thank my right hon. Friend for taking so many interventions. As a former Northern Ireland Minis...

I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. BSL was briefly mentioned in debate in the ot...

The point I was trying to make is that since the agreement was made—it is the basis of this legis...

I hear what my right hon. Friend is saying, but BSL is not reflected in this Bill at this point. ...

To those on the DUP Benches, it is evident from the Secretary of State’s explanation that there i...

The right hon. Gentleman is correct; the duty is to give due regard to the items that I have list...

My right hon. Friend is being very generous in giving way. The fact of the matter is that the 202...

I thank my right hon. Friend for his contribution. I have some statistics that back up his point,...

rose—

I will give way one final time.

The Minister is being very generous. Does he understand the point that has been made? As far as t...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for making his point with strength and passion. I will not go an...

I would like to begin by passing on my condolences and that of the Labour party for the 10 people...

May I add to the comments of the hon. Member for Hove (Peter Kyle) about the tragedy in Creesloug...

How do I follow that word?

I begin in all seriousness by echoing the sentiments expressed o...

Order. For the sake of clarity, I appreciate that a great many people in the House do not underst...

I am grateful for that, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I shall take care to ensure that the rest of my...

On behalf of our party, I offer our deepest sympathies to the families who lost loved ones in the...

Does my hon. Friend also notice a correlation between matters being brought to this House and out...

Absolutely—kowtowing to the demands of Sinn Féin is often the way that it goes. For those reasons...

Will the hon. Lady give way?

The hon. Gentleman will have plenty of opportunity to speak later.

Part 2 of the Bill is th...

I had not intended to speak until perhaps the very end, so I am grateful to be called so early. I...

Given the argument that the hon. Member is making, would he explain why it was that over a two-ye...

Coronavirus. I am not sure whether the hon. Member was aware, but there was a pandemic in our cou...

Does my hon. Friend also accept that the Secretary of State then brings himself into the quagmire...

It is the antithesis of democracy; it has applied to a couple of other issues over the last numbe...

I will deal with that point more fully later on, but I put on record on behalf of the Government ...

If there was—and I cannot doubt the veracity of what the Minister says about the intention the Go...

Would my hon. Friend accept that, while it may not be the intention—and we accept the word of the...

Now, and if not now, probably more purposefully in the future when circumstances change, personne...

I want, like others, formally to convey our condolences to and our solidarity with the people of ...

Will the hon. Lady give way?

I would be delighted to do so—I would use my Ulster Scots and say, “Houl yer whisht, Jeffrey,” bu...

Well, I will try not to be thran about it.

I welcome the approach that the hon. Lady is tak...

I will come on to address exactly that politicisation, but it is also about the collective punish...

It was key during the negotiation that neither of the commissioners had the right to promote, and...

The right hon. Member is right to clarify that, but we do need a promotion strategy. As someone w...

I call Stephen Farry.

3.46 pm

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. At the outset, I want...

Will the hon. Member give way?

Will the hon. Member give way?

I will give way to the hon. Member for Belfast East first.

I understand that my hon. Friend the Member for Upper Bann (Carla Lockhart) might like to interve...

The comments that were made are on the record and people can see them. However, we are in danger ...

The hon. Gentleman did not ask me to give way and I have taken many interventions from him in the...

I will say two things. If we can all agree a self-denying ordinance, let us move past the comment...

First, may I acknowledge the trepidation that I feel in standing up to talk about this matter? I ...

You are very welcome.

There is enough at home, actually! I do not really want to address the political aspects in any w...

It is a real pleasure to speak in this debate. I am proud to be an Ulster Scots speaker. The hon....

I would certainly be glad to meet the hon. Gentleman, and I am confident that he knows that I did...

I am not surprised that the Minister of State has replied so positively. Yes, I look forward to t...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good argument, advocating the fact that his constituents want investme...

I greatly respect the hon. Gentleman’s point of view and understand the reasons for it, but we ho...

Does my hon. Friend accept that the hon. Gentleman has actually got it wrong? It is not one quang...

I thank my right hon. Friend and colleague for his intervention. Yes, there is no doubt that ther...

I will now announce the result of the ballot held today for the election of the new Chair of the ...

On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I thank the Clerks of the House, who ran a very successful elect...

Just a gentle reminder that it is not by name; he is the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mall...

It is with pleasure that I stand to speak on this Bill. I am glad to see that it is not a stand-a...

Before I call the Front-Bench speakers, if there is to be a Division, I would welcome the names o...

I thank colleagues from across the House for their contributions to this interesting and lively d...

What a debate it has been. It has been really excellent—wide-ranging; at times hopeful and optimi...

Will the Minister give way?

I will come to the hon. Gentleman, but I have to say that I hear what he says about the need for ...

I thank the Minister of State for giving way. The thrust of our request to him—in a very kindly b...

I am most grateful. On step-in powers, can I just say, as I said in an intervention, that the Gov...