sc810812.159-162

House of Commons

Session 2005 - 06
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

S.C.B.
159

House of Commons

Thursday 8th December 2005

Standing Committee Proceedings

Standing Committee B

Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill

[third and fourth Sittings]

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not selected  177

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  18,  leave out subsection (1) and insert—

‘(1)
In this Act, “the Certification Commissioners” means an independent

organisation established by an agreement between Her Majesty’s Government in

the United Kingdom and the Government of Ireland to assist in the search for

truth and justice in connection with the conflict in Ireland and the United

Kingdom in the period before 10th April 1998.

(1A)
The Secretary of State may by order amend the functions of the Certification

Commissioners in this Act in order to facilitate the effective implementation of

the agreement referred to in subsection (1).’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Negatived on division  178

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  18,  leave out subsection (1) and insert—

‘(1)
There are to be no less than three certification commissioners.’.

Lady Hermon

Negatived on division  229

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  18,  leave out ‘Secretary of State’ and insert ‘First and Deputy

First Minister acting jointly’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  179

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  18,  at end insert—

‘(1A)
In making appointments the Secretary of State shall have regard to the desirability

of the certification commissioners, as a group, commanding widespread

acceptance throughout the community in Northern Ireland.’.

Lady Hermon

Not called  230

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  18,  at end insert—

S.C.B.Standing Committee Proceedings: 8th December 2005
160

Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill, continued

‘(1A)
No appointment may be made under subsection (1) above without the approval

of the First and Deputy First Minister acting jointly.’.

Lady Hermon

Negatived on division  231

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  18,  at end insert—

‘(1A)
Before making any appointment under subsection (1) above the Secretary of State

must consult—

(a)
the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission,

(b)
the Victims Commissioner and

(c)
the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  198

Clause  2,  page  1,  line  19,  leave out ‘commissioner’ and insert ‘commissioners’.

Clause Agreed to on division.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  222

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  5,  leave out ‘The’ and insert ‘A’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  223

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  19,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert

‘Commissioners’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  224

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  21,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert

‘Commissioners’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  225

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  26,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert

‘Commissioners’.

Mr Laurence Robertson

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mr Ben Wallace

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Mr Jeremy Hunt

Mark Durkan

Negatived on division  154

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  28,  leave out ‘is granted’ and insert ‘applies for’.

S.C.B.Standing Committee Proceedings: 8th December 2005
161

Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill, continued

Mr Laurence Robertson

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mr Ben Wallace

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Mr Jeremy Hunt

Negatived on division  155

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  28,  at end insert—

‘(1A)
The commissioner shall consult, and have regard to the views of, the Northern

Ireland Victims Commissioner about arrangements to be made in fulfilling his

duties under sub-paragraph (1).’.

Mr Laurence Robertson

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mr Ben Wallace

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Mr Jeremy Hunt

Negatived on division  156

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  28,  at end insert—

‘(1A)
It is the duty of the commissioner to secure that appropriate arrangements are

made—

(a)
to allow representations from victims about the case of each person who

applies for a certificate of eligibility;

(b)
to have regard to the views of victims about the case of each person who

applied for a certificate of eligibility;

(c)
to give the victims the reasons for his decision to grant or refuse a

certificate of eligibility in every case.’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  237

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  33,  leave out ‘a’ and insert ‘an unacceptable’.

Mr Laurence Robertson

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mr Ben Wallace

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Mr Jeremy Hunt

Not called  157

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  33,  at end insert—

‘(4)
Before deciding whether to withhold any information on the grounds referred to

in sub-paragraph (3) the commissioner must consult, and have the agreement of,

the Northern Ireland Victims Commissioner.’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  226

Schedule  1,  page  16,  line  3,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert ‘Commissioners’.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  227

Schedule  1,  page  16,  line  4,  leave out ‘Commissioner’s’ and insert

‘Commissioners’’.

S.C.B.Standing Committee Proceedings: 8th December 2005
162

Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill, continued

Schedule Agreed to on division.

Mark Durkan

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Not called  199

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  2,  leave out ‘commissioner’ and insert ‘commissioners’.

Mr Laurence Robertson

Mr Henry Bellingham

Mr Ben Wallace

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Mr Jeremy Hunt

Lady Hermon

Question proposed  112

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  2,  leave out ‘must’ and insert ‘may’.

[Adjourned till Tuesday next at 10.30 a.m.