Speech by Lord Rogan regarding policing and justice

Lord Rogan:

My Lords,

While I recognise that the secret deals of some and the naïve goodwill of others will bring about the devolution of policing and Justice, I cannot understand the means by which this Government has gone about the task.

I have spoken to members of the PSNI, to members of the Police Board and to others in the legal profession without any being able to tell me what is the structure of the proposed new arrangements,

I agree with my noble and gallant colleague, the Lord Maginnis, that planning and preparation should be the essential and fundamental element in the exercise - yet we have seen no evidence that the structures and channels of command and responsibility are in place.

While we may speak of policing and justice in generic terms, it is surely not beyond the realisation of this Government that we have an inefficient Public Prosecution Service; a Prison Service whose members are screaming to have Governors replaced and a Police Service that has yet to establish an effective working relationship with MI5.

I am concerned that, whereas the Garda in the Republic appear able to deal effectively with dissident IRA - catching them, charging them and sending them to prison - we do not have similar success.

It is all very well for the Secretary of State to play around with promises or threats regarding £800 millions in the pipeline but do we know exactly for what that considerable sum is intended?

The N.I. Assembly has to date been clearly dysfunctional with little evidence of corporate responsibility among Ministers; with the Executive having been suspended for nearly six months and with an Education Minister who is clearly being sectarian in respect of her attitude to State Education. Can the Noble Lady the Minister tell us exactly what safeguards have been considered and if they will be implemented before 12 April.

Will she explain exactly what will happen on 12 April if the Dissident IRA launches a co-ordinated attack on human and economic targets? Surely that issue has been decided. If not, I fear we are embarked on an ill-conceived plan as far and command and control is concerned.