Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill
8:45 pm
David Hanson (Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office; Delyn, Labour)
I thank the hon. Member for Solihull for her eminently short introduction to the amendment. However, the very reason she mentioned is the reason why I cannot accept it: she wishes to tie the certificate to the organisation with which an individual was associated, but the scheme is predicated on an individual fulfilling the eligibility criteria to enter the scheme. The conditions of eligibility refer primarily to the behaviour and activities of the individual; that naturally includes consideration of the status of the organisation, but only in relation to the individual’s support and actions.
If there were a change in the status of an organisation and it became a specified organisation, that could lead to the loss of the certificate. However, the individual, as we have discussed in relation to previous amendments, may well have changed their behaviour dramatically. The scheme is based on the performance, activities and understanding of the individual, not on the organisation with which any individual may or may not be associated.