Northern Ireland (Loans)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 13 November 1972.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr Merlyn Rees Mr Merlyn Rees , Leeds South 12:00, 13 November 1972

The Minister has explained that there have been three such increases of limit since the passage of the original Act. This is the one more bite of the cherry to which I referred when the matter was before the House earlier this year.

Because we are to consider on Friday a Bill which will raise the matter again when all the questions of principle underlying this kind of use of money from the National Loans Fund will be raised from this side of the House, we think it inappropriate to ask important but detailed questions that can well be subsumed in the wider discussion then. We hope, however, that the Minister can help us with the discussion on Friday by telling us—not necessarily tonight—what the extra money is required for. As I recall, money from the NLF must be for capital projects, and it would help us to know what the Government have in mind.

I have one other question. I believe that in the days of Stormont the use of the money was specified in a general fashion, and then the Stormont Government allocated it to its various uses. It would help us to know whether there has been any change in the method of specification.

As the matter is to be discussed on Friday, we on this side do not wish to take it any further than that.