Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 13 Rhagfyr 1973.
It is becoming increasingly wearisome, as the long story of Northern Ireland goes on, to find oneself in the position of being a small minority in this House and always a Cassandra. This is not a rôle that I like or undertake with any relish. However, this is what I stand for and it is what I happen to believe.
I shall say a few words about the Bill itself since, after all, we are technically debating its Second Reading. One of the surprising things to most people in Ulster since direct rule has been the discovery that it is possible administratively to carry on the government of Northern Ireland with a Secretary of State and three Ministers. Most people were surprised, because this was a reflection of a certain degree of inefficiency in the running of the old Stormont system. It is a great tribute to the Ministers concerned that they were able to carry out that task from an administrative point of view, and I willingly pay them that tribute. Whatever differences we have had about policy, there is no doubt that the three Ministers under the Secretary of State have carried out their duties with great skill, hard work and devotion.
I therefore find it surprising that we should now be increasing the number of the Executive to no fewer than 15 members. The hon. Member for Leeds, South (Mr. Merlyn Rees) said that this would be less than the number in the old Stormont, but the experience of the period of direct rule has shown that the administration could well be carried on under fewer Ministers. Thus, under this arrangement the taxpayer will have to support a much larger administrative edifice.