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Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

I have listened intently, and with a great deal of sympathy, to noble Lords who have spoken on this amendment. We all share the hope that the political situation in Northern Ireland can be normalised as soon as possible and that the special provisions that have been in place for so long will no longer be needed as the peace process progresses. As such, I am happy to see the end of the disapplication period in sight. I hope that the prescribed period will similarly be brought to a swift conclusion. The powers that the Secretary of State will have to lengthen the prescription period may be a useful back-stop precaution, but we must resist the temptation to continue putting off the day when Northern Ireland political parties can continue to enjoy privileges and perks that are considered harmful to democracy elsewhere in the world. Transparency is one of the great necessities of a vibrant democratic system. It ensures continuing public trust in the political system, it is the only effective way of preventing fraud and corruption, and it allows effective checks against disparities in the system that would allow one party to benefit at the expense of others. All those reasons are doubly true in Northern Ireland, where there is a history of certain political parties being involved in organised crime and corruption. It is certainly true that there is still a threat to some people who donate to certain parties, and we have to consider that. Therefore, we reluctantly accept that there needs to be continuing protection for donors. We agree with the Government’s decision that donations above £5,000 must be reported to the Electoral Commission. However, the political process must not be held hostage to those who continue to act illegally and refuse to accept the democratic process. If there is still danger to donors, we should concentrate on improving the system of law and order. The time limit should therefore be met and, if possible, brought forward. I support these amendments.