Speeches by Benn.

“What lesson do I draw from that? Many people say, and quite rightly, they should have left the stage a long time ago, but they have not, and they continue to oppress communities and engage in rampant criminality. It is for the forces of law and order to catch those responsible and bring them before the judicial process…”

“I would say this in response to the important point you have raised. First, of course it is important that all police forces, including in Northern Ireland, reflect the populations that they serve. Secondly, it would be a matter for the Executive, the Department of Justice and the Policing Board to decide whether they …”

“The fact is, looking backwards, there has been an underfunding, if you want to look at it that way. Some people want to look at it going forwards, but I think that it is perfectly reasonable. Given that all of that money has gone directly into sport and other leisure facilities in Northern Ireland, it is right and prop…”

“I am not aware; you would have to ask them that question. I have obviously spoken to lots of people about it, in making the argument that we should make a contribution. I know that there has been some comment on funding for other sports. The Belfast Telegraph had a very interesting piece that pointed out that since 202…”

“I take the point that you are making.”

“I would need to go away and check. Has the Northern Ireland Executive been able to take up such financial transaction capital as has been offered to it previously? I do not know the answer to that. I will go away, check, and respond to the Committee, if I may.”

“My understanding is that it is additional funding for the purposes of Casement.”

“Additional to?”

“Well, I cannot speak for the Executive. I find it a little hard to understand where the question is coming from. Why would they not want to accept it?”

“The Communities Minister looked at me, when I met him, and said, “Are you going to make a contribution?” I gave him the answer I have just indicated. The Government has now made a contribution. I cannot conceive of any circumstances in which the Executive would say, “No thanks very much.””

“I would be astonished if the Executive did not accept it.”

“Have to accept what?”

“Yes, you would have an asset, and they would take an equity stake. That’s right.”

“It is financial transaction capital. That means that the funding will go to the Executive and they will acquire an asset, namely a part share, in whatever is built. That is the way that financial transaction capital works. What we are doing is not alone; it is funds that can be put towards the building of the stadium.”

“We went through a period where everyone was looking at the UK Government to say, “Well, are you going to make a contribution?” I met Gordon Lyons, the Communities Minister, and he said, “Are you going to make a contribution to Casement Park?” I said, “We will consider this as part of the spending review. If and when I …”

“You did.”

“Local politicians have a huge amount of decision making in Northern Ireland, but in answering your questions I have done my best to set out that, in the expenditure of that money, the accounting responsibility does not rest with the Executive but with MHCLG. That is why it is different.”

“They will have an important part to play in the way in which those decisions are made. But ultimately, as I have stressed now for the third time, the accounting officer responsibility does actually rest with MHCLG rather than with the Northern Ireland Executive.”

“I have done my best to answer the political question.”

“Well, that is the way that the spending review has turned out. I come back to my point about spending in the round. The Executive are going to have more money, and lots of decisions that they themselves need to make, but it is going to be a different programme from the one that was run, in effect, entirely by MHCLG pre…”