Speeches by Benn.

“As I have just indicated, I have talked about this in my most recent discussions with a number of the party leaders, because I am very aware of the challenge that you raised and the part that the Secretary of State may be able to play; but it also requires partners on the other side of the conversation. Part of the pro…”

“I have been advised that it is the heads of Bill. We will see the heads of Bill, which will set out how the Irish Government are going to implement in legislation their commitment to giving the fullest possible co-operation to the commission, as they promised to do in the framework. Thirdly, the Irish Government have n…”

“In the end, we have to find changes that are capable of commanding a consensus. I think all of us know that.”

“There is always co-operation, because the key to being successful in countering terrorist and criminal threats, organised crime groups and paramilitarism is that all of the agencies have a part to play—all of them work together and exchange information so that they can be the most effective in trying to deal with all o…”

“It is not really going to impact the way in which the PSNI operates. It is bringing together functions in a new body to more effectively deal with the challenges that policing faces right across the country, but it will not impact the way in which the PSNI, security agencies and others deal with the terrorist threat in…”

“She will report in August, and then the two Governments will have to consider that when we know what she has reported on and what recommendations she has brought forward—I will look at those extremely seriously.”

“There have indeed been discussions, and I have discussed it on a number of occasions when all those concerned with security and reducing harm to the public meet together in Northern Ireland. The Justice Minister and I rotate the chairing of that. The Government have found £8 million to fund the last year of the EPPOC p…”

“If I may deal with that, there is not actually an underspend. It is a bit complicated, so excuse me as I read this out from my notes so that I get it right. “The NIO manages the cash drawdown for the Executive. The Executive have both a budget, which is authority to spend, and a cash requirement, which is the actual mo…”

“I was going to come on to make that point. I do accept that point. There is a need to ensure that officers in Northern Ireland are armed because of the nature of the historic threat and the fact that there are still those who would wish to do them very serious harm. The fact that it is now three years since there was l…”

“Perhaps I could take this opportunity to praise the courage, dedication and service of those who serve in the PSNI. I have had the privilege of meeting a number of officers, sadly mainly in circumstances where they have been on the receiving end of petrol bombs, or sticks and stones in dealing with some of the disorder…”

“It is getting money for counter-terrorism, but it comes via a different route, which is the additional security funding.”

“I am right.”

“Under the current power-sharing arrangement, that is true. We have seen the history, of one and then the other party choosing to collapse the Executive. I am saying that we have come to the end of the road with that, because how on earth would anyone now justify collapsing the Executive, given that 40% of the time ther…”

“I got that quite recently. I will, of course, respond to it and you will see what I say when I respond to the letter that I received. I think we are in agreement that periods of collapse are hopeless for what we are discussing. I think that we have come to the end of the road regarding collapse.”

“There is an important discussion on the extent to which any reform would make the Executive more likely to take the kind of decisions that we have just discussed. My view—we might come on to this later—is that I am very happy, of course, to look at proposals for reform and what can be brought forward that is capable of…”

“But it comes out at around £19 per head.”

“I hope my maths was right—I did the calculation the other day, where I took the £37.8 million and divided it by the population of Northern Ireland, and I took the £1.2 billion and divided it by the population of England and Wales, and the funding per head came out as basically the same.”

“In my recent meetings with party leaders, including you, reform was one thing that we talked about. The point I am making is that, first, periods with no Executive mean that these questions are absolutely not going to be addressed; they will be left untouched. In my view there is absolutely no reason why, even with the…”

“I think it is covered by the ASF.”

“Is that the £1.2 billion?”