Speeches by Robinson.

“The Secretary of State knows that the blue book has a flat line for the next five years. Talking of economic growth, let me say he also knows that there is a commitment to an enhanced investment zone in Northern Ireland. When does he believe the businesses of Northern Ireland will benefit from that?”

“My colleagues and I identify with the comments around de-escalation in the middle east. I hope that the Deputy Prime Minister will condemn recent disorder on the streets of Northern Ireland, as the Prime Minister and my colleagues have done. Does she accept that the Windsor framework, although sold to this House as a t…”

“That is not the question.”

“But, as you know, there are explorations around the extension of ICRIR into the southern jurisdiction. The Omagh bombing inquiry can look only at issues pertaining to UK state actors, UK state agencies and UK state authorities—nothing of the Republic of Ireland. If ICRIR were extended on a cross-jurisdictional basis, t…”

“I think that is a shameful portrayal of what the memorandum of understanding represents. It can only allow the facilitation of information to answer questions as to whether the Omagh bombing could have been avoided because of the actions of UK state authorities. There is no introspection within the memorandum of unders…”

“It is shameful, because it is totally constrained by its terms of reference.”

“Minister, some of the evidence we have heard focuses on the fact that no Government, no community group and no organisation can reconcile an individual’s heart to their experience. But obviously, in working with those groups, we can assist in that process. It is only because we have had these things raised with us that…”

“Chair, I decided not to intervene on some of the Windsor framework questions because it would not have been helpful. The Secretary of State knows my position and my disappointment in his Department and Government’s position that it may take 18 months to even get close to an agreement on SPS. I think it is a shame. This…”

“You have; I have just never heard it pronounced that way.”

“I think it might catch on. Following on from ICRIR, “A-ERC” seems to work. Secretary of State, my final question is about Spirit AeroSystems. Though constituency-focused, it is of interest to the entire Committee. Are the Government doing enough to pressurise Airbus into completing a deal that would look at the entiret…”

“All of that is well known and it is an accurate portrayal of where things sit, but again, that was not really the question, Secretary of State. Airbus is displaying no benevolence in this, nor should we expect it to; it is being paid half a billion dollars to take the facilities in Belfast. The mid-fuselage section, as…”

“Drawing on your response to Mr Hoare, can I ask whether you have considered convening the meeting?”

“I don’t know what his answer is. I have not received an answer from anyone.”

“And in the absence of him convening the meeting, will you?”

“Good afternoon to you all. Secretary of State, I want to ask you a couple of questions around the local growth fund, a successor programme to the UK shared prosperity fund. We understand from the spending review that the local growth fund will remain flat in terms of the money allocated in this financial year for UK sh…”

“Just focusing on the local growth fund, it is a 40% cut this year from last, and a real-terms cut for the next three years at £46 million, flatlining. The OBR has never stood over the £22 billion black hole, but that is for another day. Who is going to decide how this money is spent?”

“Who is going to decide how this money is spent?”

“So who is going to decide how this money is spent?”

“Is it a matter for the Northern Ireland Office, is it a matter for MHCLG, or is it a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive?”

“Will the decision to be taken by the Northern Ireland Executive? I suspect not. Will it be taken by the Northern Ireland Office? I suspect not. Or will the decision be taken by MHCLG?”