HC Deb 14 January 2004 vol 416 cc806-8
4. Ann Winterton (Congleton) (Con)

What assessment he has made of the results of the Assembly elections. [146809]

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

The main parties, and the great majority of the people who voted for them in the Assembly elections, want to see devolved government. The future of devolution now depends on engagement among those parties. We will do all that we can to facilitate the restoration of the Assembly and the Executive on a stable and inclusive basis.

Ann Winterton

Is it not true that people in Northern Ireland are tired of concessions to terrorism and expect the Government to stand up for the law-abiding majority who have voted accordingly when even the rigged voting system did not deliver the result that the Government wanted?

Mr. Murphy

The Government wanted to ensure that there was a result that meant that we could restore the Assembly and the Executive. and there is an opportunity among all the political parties in Northern Ireland that won seats in that Assembly to engage in the forthcoming review.

Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough) (Lab)

Are there not many common areas of policy, such as transport, policing and agriculture, that all the parties in Northern Ireland need to come round tables to discuss with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and with the Government in the Republic? What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to identify those areas of common policy that will drive forward both common talk and, I hope, the peace process as well?

Mr. Murphy

My hon. Friend is right to concentrate on the issues that affect people's lives in Northern Ireland, whether it be education, health or whatever, and all of us in the Government want to see an end to direct rule in Northern Ireland and the restoration of devolved government so that Ministers from Northern Ireland can be accountable to the people of Northern Ireland.

Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire) (LD)

Given the strong performance of the Alliance party, the Democratic Unionist party and Sinn Fein in the elections, will the Secretary of State now accept the folly of attempting to have unilateral deals with one party to the exclusion of another, and will he assure us that all parties will have parity of treatment to ensure that all views are respected in the negotiations?

Mr. Murphy

Of course, the review will mean that every party that is elected to the Assembly can take part in it. That applies to every party however big or small it might be.

Mrs. Iris Robinson (Strangford) (DUP)

Does the Secretary of State agree that it does not augur well for the forthcoming talks if this Government are still in denial about recognising that 65 per cent. of Unionist voters do not support the Belfast agreement? Does he further agree that any agreement in Northern Ireland must command the support of a majority of nationalists, as well as a majority of Unionists?

Mr. Murphy

Of course I accept that there must be a proper engagement among parties that have received a proper mandate from the people of Northern Ireland—that includes the hon. Lady's party, and we understand that. She should also realise that it is still the case that a very large majority of the assembly members elected last November support the Good Friday agreement.