Clause 1.—(EXTENSION OF PRINCIPAL ACTS TO PERSONS DOMICILED IN NORTHERN IRELAND.) (Hansard, 14 July 1950)

§ Lieut.-Colonel Hyde (Belfast, North)

I should like to say a word on this Clause which makes the principal Acts applicable to Northern Ireland. I shall not trouble the Committee with the reasons why we welcome the Bill in Northern Ireland, because they were given during the Second Reading Debate. There is one point, however, which I should like to stress. It arises out of a remark I made during the Second Reading Debate which was taken up by the Attorney-General. I suggested that perhaps there had not been sufficient consultation between the appropriate authorities here and those in Northern Ireland as to the applicability of the Measure to Northern Ireland.

The Attorney-General affected to be somewhat shocked at my proposal that there should have been such consultations, because he suggested, in what I might describe as rather admonitory tones, that if that had been done, it would have meant going behind the back of the Government of Northern Ireland. It is perfectly clear now, from Section 47 of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, that 1738 all matters relating to the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland are reserved matters; that is to say, that the Northern Ireland Government have nothing to do with them from the administrative point of view, and that they come within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Government in this country.

I wish to emphasise that, in the opinion of my hon. Friends who represent Northern Ireland constituencies, it would not have been improper for consultation on the lines I have suggested to have taken place, particularly with the Bar of Northern Ireland. Apart from that observation, I wish to say that we welcome the Clause, which not only applies the Bill to Northern Ireland, but also applies the provisions of the 1926 to 1940 Acts, which we think will afford much needed relief to the individuals concerned who are domiciled in Northern Ireland.