Speeches by Patrick.

“My hon. Friend is a powerful campaigner on this issue. The Secretary of State and I recognise the importance of fishing industries across the United Kingdom, and the Secretary of State visited Kilkeel earlier this year with Minister Muir, where this topic was raised. Immigration changes are designed to ensure that our …”

“I worry that the hon. and learned Member is in danger of talking down Northern Ireland and its incredible business opportunities. We are here to champion it. If issues arise from the Brexit that he and others championed, we do our very best to ensure that trades flow smoothly.”

“As you rightly mentioned, for three years in a row, disorder has broken out in Northern Ireland. I am sure that Minister Norris will tell me that the same is true for England, Wales and Scotland, with different parts having a spike of activity at different points. We do not want our police to be in a situation where th…”

“One of the things the Government can do is work closely with the Executive to support them in the process of setting a budget. As I mentioned to the Committee, the Executive has been given a record settlement—more than ever before in the history of devolution. Funding for the police is in their gift, as it is a devolve…”

“As I mentioned to the Committee last week in relation to the local growth fund, I will never sit before the Committee and have anything other than praise for those groups. They do tremendous work, and they have powerful advocates in this Committee and others, which I hear loudly and clearly. I have sat across the room …”

“I was horrified by the disorder, as was everyone in this room who saw it. The Secretary of State has been unbelievably clear that when we see people being burned out of their homes because of the colour of their skin, it can be called nothing but pure, out-and-out racism. I think there has been real moral clarity, and …”

“I am not sure about that. You mentioned previously that there might have been some funding. Is that correct, Chair?”

“You can see that with the Secretary of State, myself or other officials being very clear with communities in Northern Ireland. I spoke with many of them following that disorder. We spoke with some of the community groups that do on-the-ground work to give that reassurance. Let me be really clear: those community groups…”

“We spoke with party leaders just a few weeks ago, as you all know, and those conversations were not initially intended to be on this topic, but it featured quite heavily, as did the duty to call this out and to tackle this at all levels. That is well known and well understood. What more can we do? I have mentioned befo…”

“I am concerned that people use the awful attack on Mr Ogilvie for ends of anger and hatred. I don’t think anyone could fail to be deeply shocked, worried and even angry, when they saw what had happened to him. There is a duty on everyone, be that a Member of Parliament or a member of a community, to show moral leadersh…”

“It would be hard not to recognise that. You noticed this as a concerning thing 21 years ago. I mentioned the racism that we saw on the streets of Belfast just a few weeks ago, and we have therefore seen an uplift in reporting. It is a challenge for us all. Your opening demonstrates perfectly the issue. I have long beli…”

“I would be interested to know whether that is particularly specific to Northern Ireland. We have both spoken about hate that is peddled. There is a very lucrative market in peddling hate, division and anger. You see it on social media: you see how people construct accounts entirely around pumping out videos that are go…”

“Paramilitarism was never justified, ever, and it is not today. You spoke about 21 years ago, but I think it is really important to note the huge progress made in the last 28 years since the Good Friday agreement, with enormous strides forward. But that does not mean there are not relics of paramilitarism in organised c…”

“I have not heard about that. I am very happy to find out more. It was part of my briefing pack, so I wondered if you have any details about that.”

“Okay. If anyone has any details, I am very happy to try to find that out. It is not something that I know about.”

“I will be happy to arrange a meeting between me, the hon. Gentleman and representatives about the issue that he just raised.”

“Not at all: I feel a connection and commitment. The way to deliver that commitment is to respect devolution and give a record financial settlement—more than at any time in the history of devolution—so that the Executive can make that determination. That is important, in terms of both showing respect and funding. I agai…”

“I hear the right hon. Gentleman’s comments. Securing locally agreed arrangements for managing parades in Northern Ireland is the best option for sustainable, long-term reform. The UK Government are committed to continuing to work with local parties and others to secure the restoration of those institutions. Until such …”

“That is funding to the Department of Justice rather than directly to the PSNI but, as I stated, given the hours of police time saved, that investment will clearly have a benefit. On the matter of funding for the PSNI, many Members rightly raised resources, and a few raised some specifics. The hon. Member for Strangford…”

“From the direct amount funded by the UK Government—there are separate bids that are being considered by the Executive—Justice is receiving £22.6 million. That is transforming the justice system, and I understand that it has already saved 4,000 hours of police time in the first year it has been introduced. I will addres…”