Speeches by Benn.

“There is buy-in to the process that we initiated through convening the all-party talks. There was clearly buy-in to that. Whether there is buy-in to setting a Budget is a question you would have to ask the Northern Ireland Executive.”

“As far as I am aware, there has never been a circumstance in which, where the Executive are in being and the Assembly is meeting, a UK Government have set a Budget for Northern Ireland. There have been circumstances, of course, when the Executive have collapsed where the Government have done that. The institutions are …”

“I really hope that that is not going to prove the case, because, I repeat, it is the responsibility of the Executive to set a Budget. It is. They can set a budget, as they did last year, and then end up overspending, which resulted in them coming to us and asking, “Can you help us out?” Eventually, the Government agree…”

“As far as I am aware, there has never been a circumstance in which, where the Executive are in being and the Assembly is meeting, a UK Government have set a Budget for Northern Ireland. There have been circumstances, of course, when the Executive have collapsed where the Government have done that. The institutions are …”

“Why not?”

“I put the question back, and it is a very fair question to ask. Why would the Executive not be willing to collectively step up to their responsibilities? Why?”

“That depends on what the work that is now being undertaken shows. We showed our willingness to provide support last year with the £400 million reserve claim. That came with some conditions, but then I look back. The £3.3 billion that was given when the Executive were restored also came with conditions, not all of which…”

“Why not?”

“It is how I get up in the morning.”

“The Fiscal Council has drawn attention to how the various legal obligations relate to each other. The point has been raised about the ability to spend revenues that are raised. The Northern Ireland Executive get quite a lot of money. From memory, the figure was something of the order of £3 billion that comes in. The Fi…”

“I will ask Julie to respond on that point about the role of the Departments in providing the information.”

“I put the question back, and it is a very fair question to ask. Why would the Executive not be willing to collectively step up to their responsibilities? Why?”

“There is buy-in to the process that we initiated through convening the all-party talks. There was clearly buy-in to that. Whether there is buy-in to setting a Budget is a question you would have to ask the Northern Ireland Executive.”

“The open book process was an attempt to do it. It was done in a limited period of time. It provided some valuable and useful information. Different people have different views about it. There is no reason why the Executive should not have done their own open book process before. There is no reason why the Executive sho…”

“My hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Selly Oak (Al Carns) will have to answer that question, but, with respect, I disagree with him. He worked on the package of amendments during his time as a Defence Minister. In the end, we have to strike a balance, as the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Alex Burghart) is we…”

“My hon. Friend makes an important point about this piece of legislation. As we know, the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 did not command support across all communities in Northern Ireland. How can we hope to proceed if that is the case? That is why the Government are committed to reformin…”

“I do not accept that, because all the Northern Ireland political parties were opposed to the immunity that was at the heart of the 2023 legacy Act. It had no support from political parties in Northern Ireland or from victims and survivors’ organisations. That is why these changes have to be made, and that is why the Go…”

“As the right hon. Gentleman knows, the Irish Government published on 8 June their legislative outline, entitled “The General Scheme of the Legacy of the Troubles Bill 2026”. That is intended to fulfil the commitment that the Irish Government gave in the joint framework to co-operate to the fullest extent possible with …”

“We will come to debate that amendment, along with all the other amendments that hon. and right hon. Members have tabled, when we get to the Committee stage. The judgment in the Thompson case was absolutely clear—it was also referred to by the Dillon judgment—that the ultimate responsibility for protecting national secu…”

“The right hon. Gentleman will have noticed that the new Defence Secretary, who himself served in Northern Ireland, said on Monday: “This Government are absolutely committed to the troubles Bill”.—[Official Report, 6 July 2026; Vol. 789, c. 15.] The right hon. Gentleman will not have to wait too much longer—[Interruptio…”