Northern Ireland Budget (Anticipation and Adjustments) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 2:32 pm on 20 March 2018.

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Photo of Owen Smith Owen Smith Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 2:32, 20 March 2018

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that clarification, but she has effectively doubled down on what she said earlier, and that is not good enough. These people have waited long enough. I think that the report came before the Assembly collapsed, and there is widespread political support across the piece that compensation ought to be paid. I therefore hope that, notwithstanding the complications and the sense that we would in some respect be rescinding a measure of devolution, we should find it in this place to legislate and provide the resources. That is the view of the Labour party, and I am sure that the Secretary of State will reflect on that.