Part of Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:00 pm on 31 January 2002.
I am glad that we are at one on the principle. I assume that we are also agreed that these offices will be paid for out of the budget administered by the Northern Ireland Assembly. My concern was that the UK Parliament would continue to run the services directly. I cannot find where in the Bill the transfer of justice after devolution from the Secretary of State to the First and Deputy First Ministers is provided for. Will the Minister point me in the right direction so that I can be confident that we will achieve the objective? I shall then not press the amendments.