Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill
Debate between Baroness Clark of Kilwinning and Mark Durkan
Tuesday 9th July 2013
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(10 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
The Temporary Chair (Katy Clark)
Order. I ask Mark Durkan to address the amendment that we are debating.
Mark Durkan
I will do that, Ms Clark.
On the number of Members in the Assembly, the parties seem to be agreed in principle that that can and should change. The agreement provided for a review, just as the agreement provided that the first Assembly would last for five years. The first Assembly was not extended. There was provision in the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and in the agreement, for the first Assembly to be five years, and four years thereafter. We did not agree with the date being changed.