Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 4 November 2009.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Shadow Spokesperson (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs)
11:30,
4 November 2009
What recent progress has been made on loyalist decommissioning; and if he will make a statement.
Shaun Woodward
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The House will note the report from the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, which was placed in the library last month and which records very significant acts of decommissioning by loyalist groups. The House will also know from my right hon. Friend the Minister of State that the decommissioning order will end unequivocally on
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Shadow Spokesperson (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs)
The Secretary of State has made clear that the amnesty will end in February. That being so, what more can he do to encourage loyalist paramilitaries to participate in the decommissioning process so that it can be completed once and for all? Will he also make clear that those who break the law can expect the full rigour of the law to come down upon them, and that they will face due process?
Shaun Woodward
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The answer to the hon. Gentleman's second question is yes. As for his first question, we are making that requirement clear. That is why we are, I believe, making substantial progress on decommissioning, although we expect more. [ Interruption. ]
John Bercow
Chair, Members Estimate Committee, Chair, Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Members Estimate Committee, Chair, Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
Order. There are still far too many private conversations taking place in the Chamber. It is very unfair on the Member asking the question, and on the Minister answering it.
Iris Robinson
DUP, Strangford
My party welcomes the progress made towards total decommissioning by loyalist paramilitaries. When that process has been completed, will the Secretary of State publish an inventory of the weapons decommissioned by both the IRA and the loyalist paramilitaries?
Shaun Woodward
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As the hon. Lady knows, as part of the process there will at the end of it be a full statement by the IICD.
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