HC Deb 29 October 2003 vol 412 cc285-8
1. Dr. Nick Palmer (Broxtowe)

If he will make a statement on the peace process. [134143]

3. Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley)

If he will make a statement on progress with the peace process. [134145]

Mr. Speaker

Before I call the Secretary of State, let me say that it is unfair to Members who are here for Northern Ireland questions for so many conversations to be taking place. I ask hon. Members to leave the Chamber if they wish to make conversation.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy)

There were significant developments in the peace process last week, and further progress over the weekend. However, it did not prove possible to resolve outstanding differences—despite the excellent efforts of General de Chastelain and his colleagues—over decommissioning in a manner that would create public confidence on all sides. But we sincerely hope that after the elections conditions will be created that will permit a working Executive to be formed and all aspects of the joint declaration to be taken forward.

Dr. Palmer

Does my right hon. Friend agree that after the elections the regrettably interrupted negotiations to complete the peace settlement need to be resumed as soon as possible, and that the people of both Britain and Northern Ireland will expect all sides to make every effort to reach a conclusion so that we can see peace in our islands?

Mr. Murphy

Yes, I agree with my hon. Friend. Obviously, after the elections we need to address the issues that were left unfinished over the past weeks. However, I want to make it clear to the House, as I did in last week's statement, that a lot of progress has been made. There has been engagement between parties that has not occurred before, and there was improvement as regards decommissioning. However, my hon. Friend is right that we now have elections before us. I urge every voter in Northern Ireland to exercise his or her franchise and democratic right in these particularly important elections so that, at the end of that process, they have an Assembly which is representative of all the people of Northern Ireland and which, as a consequence of the election, can produce an Executive to govern Northern Ireland in place of government by direct rule.

Judy Mallaber

Does my right hon. Friend agree that, whatever our views on the events of recent days, there has been considerable progress as a result of the peace process? Many lives have been saved; there has been increased investment as a result of the improved security situation; and life is quite normal in many parts of Northern Ireland, as I witnessed on a recent visit. Will my right hon. Friend continue to impress on all parties their responsibility to continue with that progress up to and after the elections?

Mr. Murphy

Indeed I will. My hon. Friend is quite right—if one looks at peace processes throughout the world and compares them with what has occurred in Northern Ireland, one can see that there have been improvements in the lives of ordinary people, the number of jobs, and the number of deaths as a result of terrorist crime that are not occurring. Moreover, Northern Ireland is now the fastest-growing region in the United Kingdom and tourism is improving. All those factors point to a more stable society resulting from the Good Friday agreement. Although we have had our difficulties in the past weeks, we are still moving forward all the time, and the election process is part of that.

Mr. David Trimble (Upper Bann)

Does the Secretary of State agree that if the sequence that it was necessary for me to put on hold last Tuesday is to be resumed at any point in future and carried through, it is essential that in the next few weeks of the election campaign republicans abide very clearly by the commitments to peaceful means that they made at that stage? It is also highly desirable that republicans engage with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning to repair the mistakes on transparency and agree the necessary timetable for the completion of decommissioning.

Mr. Murphy

I think the right hon. Gentleman would agree that progress was made as regards the statement by the president of Sinn Fein and that it was an improvement on what we saw in the spring. I think he would also agree that the IRA's engagement with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning was an important and significant development. I think he would also agree about the nature of the decommissioning event this time, which General de Chastelain referred to as being considerably greater than the two previous events, and would welcome the decommissioning of weapons which, if used, would have resulted in death and destruction on a huge scale. I know that he is concerned about transparency and, indeed, public confidence, but I hope that those issues will be addressed in the coming weeks and that we move forward.

Mr. Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry)

As the Secretary of State has given the House assurances on previous occasions, can he confirm that he has confidence in the process that began in 1998? Can he give the House an assurance that he will give equal support to, and has equal confidence in, the process that will evolve after the elections on 26 November, so that it can reach a better conclusion than the old process?

Mr. Murphy

The hon. Gentleman is aware that there is to be a review of the agreement after the election. Indeed, that is part of the agreement itself—paragraph 8 ensures that the review must take place. In the course of that review, the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues will, of course, be able to put forward the various points that they consider important. Obviously, we have to await the result of the elections on 26 November. However, I will say to the hon. Gentleman that I still believe, and it is the Government's firm view, that the Good Friday agreement is the best way forward—indeed, the only way forward—in Northern Ireland.

Mrs. Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Does my right hon. Friend take the view that despite the confusion that appeared to emanate from Northern Ireland earlier in the week, the act of decommissioning that has taken place is much greater than anything that has gone before?

Mr. Murphy

As I made clear to the right hon. Member for Upper Bann (Mr. Trimble), I believe that it was a greater act of decommissioning than we have seen before. I also believe that the engagement on the issues of the day between political parties in Northern Ireland over the past few months is of such significance that everybody in Northern Ireland must draw hope from it; and that on 27 November, when we return to politics in Northern Ireland, we will return to devolution so that the people of Northern Ireland can be governed by people from Northern Ireland in the interests of all the people of Northern Ireland.

Mr. Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford)

Does the Secretary of State think that politicians who lie, and are therefore distrusted, are well placed to conclude negotiations?

Mr. Murphy

I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the issue that was addressed by the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Jane Kennedy), earlier this week. The most important thing that those of us who are involved in Northern Ireland must now do is look towards the future to ensure that the elections held in Northern Ireland produce a democratic Assembly and that we have peace in Northern Ireland.

I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman will be returning to his position on the Front Bench next time we meet for Question Time—we shall have to wait and see. I know that he is committed to the Good Friday agreement, but I am sometimes troubled that Conservative Members, instead of trying to help the peace process, are more concerned with scoring cheap party political points.

Mr. Davies

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman has another question. I firmly tell him that he must use moderate language.

Hon. Members

Order!

Mr. Speaker

Order. I shall chair the proceedings in this House.

Mr. Davies

I always try to use moderate language, Mr. Speaker, and try not to apply unparliamentary terms to named Members of the House of Commons.

Last week, the Prime Minister told the House: I believe, on the basis of what we know, that people would be satisfied if they knew the full details."—[Official Report, 22 October 2003; Vol. 411, c. 634.] Next day, General de Chastelain said: "I gave them"—the Prime Ministers— no more details than I have told you. Who is right?

Mr. Murphy

The hon. Gentleman knows, of course, that, in relation to General de Chastelain, the issue of confidentiality cannot be breached publicly. He is also aware that both the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister met General de Chastelain in Hillsborough castle—for something approaching an hour, I believe—to discuss the issues regarding decommissioning. He is also aware that the written public statement by General de Chastelain was very short. It is obvious, however, that someone who spends that amount of time dealing with an issue may form an opinion about what has happened that is very different from the bare statement that appears afterwards.

Mr. Iain Luke (Dundee, East)

I am sure that my right hon. Friend will, like all hon. Members, welcome the successful conclusion in respect of the elections in November. With the restart of the peace process, will he reaffirm the Government's view that it will be successfully concluded, first, by a statement by the IRA saying that it is giving up warlike activities for ever and irretrievably and, secondly, by complete adherence to a transparent and progressed schedule on decommissioning?

Mr. Murphy

I addressed some of those matters earlier and I share some of the views that my hon. Friend expressed. They are an important part of some of the issues before the people in Northern Ireland in the next five weeks. However, it is also important to emphasise that they will want to vote on the way in which they believe their hospitals will be managed, their schools run, their transport system tackled and so on. The elections are also about producing devolution in Northern Ireland so that we can have the Assembly and the Executive back.