Northern Ireland (Sentences) Bill — 10 Jun 1998

Order for Second Reading read .

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

The aim of the Bill is to bring into effect proposals in the Good Friday agreement dealing with prisoners. Prisoner issues are part of that agreement--the commitment given by both Governments was to put in place mechanisms for an accelerated programme of prisoner release. In our case, that applies to prisoners convicted of scheduled offences--that is, offences connected with paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland and those outside Northern Ireland convicted of similar offences. We gave a commitment in the agreement that we would seek to enact the appropriate legislation by the end of June.

The agreement is a package, supported by parties and the people, and it is a whole and not to be cherry-picked. The package won the support of more than 71 per cent. of the people of Northern Ireland on 22 May, in both communities. As we discussed in the House on Monday last week, I know that there is much concern among those who voted yes and those who voted no about the actual details. We have a duty to people to implement the people's wishes, but, at the same time, to do our best to address those concerns.

I believe that the agreement is the best chance that we have to bring an end to the vicious cycle of violence and murder in Northern Ireland and to ensure that new generations do not continue to suffer all the grief and pain of the past.

On 20 April, I placed in the Library of the House a paper that set out in detail how the Government intended to implement our commitment in relation to prisoners. That paper set out the rigorous safeguards for the protection of the public. Those safeguards are now on the face of the Bill. For example, prisoners who support terrorist groups that continue to engage in violence or return to violence will not be released. Prisoners will be released on licence and immediately recalled if they engage in any terrorist activity.

Mr. Desmond Swayne (New Forest, West):

The Bill actually states that prisoners will be released if they are not likely to be

unequivocal ceasefire. What is more, there is provision in the agreement for that to be kept under constant review."--[ Official Report , 6 May 1998; Vol. 311, c. 711.]

Question put, That the Bill be now read a Second time:--

The House divided: Ayes 343, Noes 10.

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All Votes Cast - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party are marked in red. Also shows which MPs were ministers at the time of this vote. You can also see every eligible MP including those who did not vote in this division.

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NameConstituencyPartyVote
Peter AinsworthEast SurreyConaye
Michael AncramDevizesCon (front bench)aye
James ArbuthnotNorth East HampshireCon (front bench)aye
Tim BoswellDaventryCon (front bench)aye
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)aye
Mrs Virginia BottomleySouth West SurreyCon (front bench)aye
Mr Peter BrookeCities of London and WestminsterCon (front bench)aye
Simon BurnsWest ChelmsfordCon (front bench)aye
Christopher ChopeChristchurchCon (front bench)aye
James ClappisonHertsmereCon (front bench)aye
Kenneth ClarkeRushcliffeConaye
Mr Tim CollinsWestmorland and LonsdaleConaye
Mr James CranBeverley and HoldernessConaye
Quentin DaviesGrantham and StamfordCon (front bench)aye
Stephen DorrellCharnwoodConaye
Iain Duncan SmithChingford and Woodford GreenCon (front bench)aye
Nigel EvansRibble ValleyConaye
Mr Norman FowlerSutton ColdfieldCon (front bench)aye
Liam FoxWoodspringCon (front bench)aye
Edward GarnierHarboroughConaye
Damian GreenAshfordCon (front bench)aye
John GreenwayRyedaleConaye
Dominic GrieveBeaconsfieldCon (front bench)aye
William HagueRichmond (Yorks)Con (front bench)aye
Philip HammondRunnymede and WeybridgeCon (front bench)aye
John HayesSouth Holland and The DeepingsCon (front bench)aye
Oliver HealdNorth East HertfordshireCon (front bench)aye
Douglas HoggSleaford and North HykehamConaye
Bernard JenkinNorth EssexCon (front bench)aye
Robert KeySalisburyConaye
Mr Tom KingBridgwaterCon (front bench)aye
Julie KirkbrideBromsgroveConaye
Eleanor LaingEpping ForestCon (front bench)aye
Andrew LansleySouth CambridgeshireCon (front bench)aye
Oliver LetwinWest DorsetConaye
David LidingtonAylesburyConaye
Peter LuffMid WorcestershireCon (front bench)aye
Andrew MacKayBracknellConaye
Mr David MadelSouth West BedfordshireConaye
John MaplesStratford-on-AvonCon (front bench)aye
Francis MaudeHorshamCon (front bench)aye
Theresa MayMaidenheadCon (front bench)aye
Patrick McLoughlinWest DerbyshireCon (front bench)aye
Malcolm MossNorth East CambridgeshireConaye
Mr Patrick NichollsTeignbridgeConaye
James PaiceSouth East CambridgeshireCon (front bench)aye
John RedwoodWokinghamCon (front bench)aye
Mrs Gillian ShephardSouth West NorfolkCon (front bench)aye
Keith SimpsonMid NorfolkCon (front bench)aye
Caroline SpelmanMeridenCon (front bench)aye
Richard SpringWest SuffolkConaye
Mr John TaylorSolihullConaye
Mr Michael TrendWindsorConaye
John WhittingdaleMaldon and East ChelmsfordCon (front bench)aye
Ann WiddecombeMaidstone and The WealdConaye
David WillettsHavantCon (front bench)aye
Tim YeoSouth SuffolkCon (front bench)aye
George YoungNorth West HampshireCon (front bench)aye
Mr Howard FlightArundel and South DownsCon (front bench)no
Laurence RobertsonTewkesburyCon (front bench)no
Nicholas WintertonMacclesfieldConno
Ian PaisleyNorth AntrimDUP (front bench)no
Peter RobinsonBelfast EastDUPno
Mr Martin BellTattonIndependentaye
Diane AbbottHackney North and Stoke NewingtonLab (minister)aye
Nick AingerCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireLabaye
Bob AinsworthCoventry North EastLab (minister)aye
Graham AllenNottingham NorthLab (minister)aye
Mr Donald AndersonSwansea EastLab (minister)aye
Janet AndersonRossendale and DarwenLab (minister)tellaye
Hilary ArmstrongNorth West DurhamLab (minister)aye
Mr Joe AshtonBassetlawLabaye
Charlotte AtkinsStaffordshire MoorlandsLabaye
Kevin BarronRother ValleyLab (minister)aye
John BattleLeeds WestLab (minister)aye
Hugh BayleyCity of YorkLab (minister)aye
Mr Nigel BeardBexleyheath and CrayfordLabaye
Margaret BeckettDerby SouthLab (minister)aye
Mr Andrew BennettDenton and ReddishLabaye
Roger BerryKingswoodLabaye
Clive BettsSheffield, AttercliffeLab (minister)aye
Tony BlairSedgefieldLab (minister)aye
Bob BlizzardWaveneyLabaye
Mr Paul BoatengBrent SouthLab (minister)aye
David BorrowSouth RibbleLabaye
Mr Keith BradleyManchester, WithingtonLab (minister)aye
Nick BrownNewcastle upon Tyne East and WallsendLab (minister)aye
Russell BrownDumfriesLabaye
Des BrowneKilmarnock and LoudounLab (minister)aye
Colin BurgonElmetLabaye
Mrs Christine ButlerCastle PointLabaye
Stephen ByersNorth TynesideLab (minister)aye
Richard CabornSheffield CentralLab (minister)aye
Ronnie CampbellBlyth ValleyLab (minister)aye
Mr Dale Campbell-SavoursWorkingtonLab (minister)aye
Dennis CanavanFalkirk Westwhilst Labaye
Mr Ivor CaplinHoveLabaye
Martin CatonGowerLab (minister)aye
Ben ChapmanWirral SouthLabaye
David ChaytorBury NorthLabaye
Malcolm ChisholmEdinburgh North and LeithLabaye
Dr David ClarkSouth ShieldsLab (minister)aye
Paul ClarkGillinghamLabaye
Mr Tony ClarkeNorthampton SouthLabaye
Ann ClwydCynon ValleyLab (minister)aye
Vernon CoakerGedlingLabaye
Ann CoffeyStockportLabaye
Harry CohenLeyton and WansteadLabaye
Mr Tony ColmanPutneyLabaye
Mr Robin CorbettBirmingham, ErdingtonLab (minister)aye
Jeremy CorbynIslington NorthLabaye
Ms Jean CorstonBristol EastLabaye
Mr Tom CoxTootingLabaye
David CrausbyBolton North EastLab (minister)aye
Ann CryerKeighleyLabaye
John CryerHornchurchLabaye
John CummingsEasingtonLabaye
Mr Lawrence CunliffeLeighLabaye
Jim CunninghamCoventry SouthLab (minister)aye
Claire Curtis-ThomasCrosbyLabaye
Mr Tam DalyellLinlithgowLabaye
Alistair DarlingEdinburgh CentralLab (minister)aye
Mr Keith DarvillUpminsterLabaye
Ian DavidsonGlasgow PollokLab (minister)aye
Mr Denzil DaviesLlanelliLabaye
Geraint DaviesCroydon CentralLab (minister)aye
Mr Ron DaviesCaerphillyLab (minister)aye
Mr Terry DavisBirmingham, Hodge HillLabaye
Mr Hilton DawsonLancaster and WyreLabaye
Janet DeanBurtonLabaye
John DenhamSouthampton, ItchenLab (minister)aye
Andrew DismoreHendonLabaye
Frank DobsonHolborn and St PancrasLab (minister)aye
Frank DoranAberdeen CentralLabaye
Jim DowdLewisham WestLab (minister)aye
David DrewStroudLab (minister)aye
Maria EagleLiverpool, GarstonLab (minister)aye
Mr Huw EdwardsMonmouthLabaye
Clive EffordElthamLab (minister)aye
Louise EllmanLiverpool, RiversideLabaye
Jeff EnnisBarnsley East and MexboroughLabaye
Bill EtheringtonSunderland NorthLabaye
Frank FieldBirkenheadLab (minister)aye
Mark FisherStoke-on-Trent CentralLab (minister)aye
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and Canning TownLabaye
Ms Lorna FitzsimonsRochdaleLabaye
Caroline FlintDon ValleyLab (minister)aye
Paul FlynnNewport WestLabaye
Michael FosterWorcesterLabaye
Michael Jabez FosterHastings and RyeLabaye
Mrs Maria FyfeGlasgow MaryhillLabaye
Mike GapesIlford SouthLabaye
Bruce GeorgeWalsall SouthLabaye
Neil GerrardWalthamstowLabaye
Ian GibsonNorwich NorthLabaye
Linda GilroyPlymouth, SuttonLabaye
Dr Norman GodmanGreenock and InverclydeLabaye
Roger GodsiffBirmingham, Sparkbrook and Small HeathLabaye
Paul GogginsWythenshawe and Sale EastLabaye
Mrs Llin GoldingNewcastle-under-LymeLabaye
Mrs Eileen GordonRomfordLabaye
Mr Bernie GrantTottenhamLabaye
Mr Win GriffithsBridgendLab (minister)aye
Mr Bruce GrocottTelfordLabaye
John GroganSelbyLab (minister)aye
Mr John GunnellMorley and RothwellLabaye
Peter HainNeathLab (minister)aye
Patrick HallBedfordLabaye
Fabian HamiltonLeeds North EastLab (minister)aye
David HansonDelynLabaye
Sylvia HealHalesowen and Rowley Regiswhilst Labaye
John HealeyWentworthLab (minister)aye
John HeppellNottingham EastLabaye
Stephen HesfordWirral WestLabaye
Mr David HinchliffeWakefieldLabaye
Kate HoeyVauxhallLabaye
John Home RobertsonEast LothianLabaye
Geoff HoonAshfieldLab (minister)aye
Phil HopeCorbyLabaye
Kelvin HopkinsLuton NorthLabaye
Beverley HughesStretford and UrmstonLab (minister)aye
Mr Kevin HughesDoncaster NorthLab (minister)aye
Joan HumbleBlackpool North and FleetwoodLabaye
Mr Alan HurstBraintreeLabaye
John HuttonBarrow and FurnessLabaye
Brian IddonBolton South EastLabaye
Eric IllsleyBarnsley CentralLabaye
Adam IngramEast KilbrideLab (minister)aye
Glenda JacksonHampstead and HighgateLab (minister)aye
Mrs Helen JacksonSheffield, HillsboroughLabaye
Mr David JamiesonPlymouth, DevonportLab (minister)aye
Brian JenkinsTamworthLabaye
Alan JohnsonKingston upon Hull West and HessleLabaye
Miss Melanie JohnsonWelwyn HatfieldLabaye
Mr Barry JonesAlyn and DeesideLabaye
Fiona JonesNewarkLabaye
Lynne JonesBirmingham, Selly OakLabaye
Tessa JowellDulwich and West NorwoodLab (minister)aye
Sally KeebleNorthampton NorthLabaye
Ann KeenBrentford and IsleworthLabaye
Fraser KempHoughton and Washington EastLabaye
Jane KennedyLiverpool, WavertreeLab (minister)aye
Peter KilfoyleLiverpool, WaltonLab (minister)aye
Ms Oona KingBethnal Green and BowLab (minister)aye
Ashok KumarMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandLabaye
Stephen LadymanSouth ThanetLabaye
Mrs Jackie LawrencePreseli PembrokeshireLabaye
Bob LaxtonDerby NorthLabaye
David LepperBrighton, PavilionLabaye
Chris LeslieShipleyLab (minister)aye
Ivan LewisBury SouthLabaye
Mr Terry LewisWorsleyLabaye
Mrs Helen LiddellAirdrie and ShottsLab (minister)aye
Ken LivingstoneBrent Eastwhilst Labaye
Andrew LoveEdmontonLab (minister)aye
Andrew MacKinlayThurrockLabaye
Mrs Alice MahonHalifaxLabaye
Judy MallaberAmber ValleyLabaye
Mr Peter MandelsonHartlepoolLab (minister)aye
Dr John MarekWrexhamLabaye
Dr Jim MarshallLeicester SouthLabaye
Mr John MaxtonGlasgow CathcartLabaye
John McAllionDundee EastLabaye
Thomas McAvoyGlasgow RutherglenLab (minister)aye
Ian McCartneyMakerfieldLab (minister)aye
Siobhain McDonaghMitcham and MordenLabaye
John Martin McDonnellHayes and HarlingtonLabaye
John McFallDumbartonLab (minister)aye
Anne McGuireStirlingLabaye
Shona McIsaacCleethorpesLabaye
Mr Kevin McNamaraKingston upon Hull NorthLabaye
Tony McNultyHarrow EastLabaye
Mr Tony McWalterHemel HempsteadLabaye
Mr John McWilliamBlaydonLabaye
Michael MeacherOldham West and RoytonLab (minister)aye
Alan MealeMansfieldLabaye
Gillian MerronLincolnLabaye
Alun MichaelCardiff South and PenarthLab (minister)aye
Mr Bill MichieSheffield, HeeleyLabaye
Alan MilburnDarlingtonLab (minister)aye
Austin MitchellGreat GrimsbyLab (minister)aye
Laura MoffattCrawleyLabaye
Dr Lewis MoonieKirkcaldyLab (minister)aye
Margaret MoranLuton SouthLabaye
Mr Rhodri MorganCardiff WestLabaye
Elliot MorleyScunthorpeLab (minister)aye
Ms Estelle MorrisBirmingham, YardleyLab (minister)aye
Dr Mo MowlamRedcarLab (minister)aye
George MudieLeeds EastLab (minister)aye
Chris MullinSunderland SouthLabaye
Denis MurphyWansbeckLabaye
Paul MurphyTorfaenLab (minister)aye
Mr Bill O'BrienNormantonLabaye
Mike O'BrienNorth WarwickshireLab (minister)aye
Bill OlnerNuneatonLabaye
Nick PalmerBroxtoweLabaye
Ian PearsonDudley SouthLabaye
Ms Linda PerhamIlford NorthLabaye
Mr Colin PickthallWest LancashireLabaye
Mr Peter PikeBurnleyLabaye
James PlaskittWarwick and LeamingtonLabaye
Mr Chris PondGraveshamLabaye
Greg PopeHyndburnLab (minister)tellaye
Bridget PrenticeLewisham EastLab (minister)aye
John PrescottKingston upon Hull EastLab (minister)aye
Dawn PrimaroloBristol SouthLab (minister)aye
Gwyn ProsserDoverLabaye
Ken PurchaseWolverhampton North EastLabaye
Ms Joyce QuinGateshead East and Washington WestLab (minister)aye
Mr Lawrie QuinnScarborough and WhitbyLabaye
Bill RammellHarlowLabaye
Nick RaynsfordGreenwich and WoolwichLab (minister)aye
Andy ReedLoughboroughLabaye
Geoffrey RobinsonCoventry North WestLab (minister)aye
Mr Allan RogersRhonddaLabaye
Mr Jeff RookerBirmingham, Perry BarrLab (minister)aye
Terry RooneyBradford NorthLabaye
Mr Ted RowlandsMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLab (minister)aye
Chris RuaneVale of ClwydLabaye
Joan RuddockLewisham, DeptfordLab (minister)aye
Joan RyanEnfield NorthLabaye
Martin SalterReading WestLabaye
Mr Malcolm SavidgeAberdeen NorthLabaye
Mr Brian SedgemoreHackney South and ShoreditchLabaye
Jonathan R ShawChatham and AylesfordLabaye
Mr Robert SheldonAshton-under-LyneLab (minister)aye
Alan SimpsonNottingham SouthLabaye
Marsha SinghBradford WestLabaye
Dennis SkinnerBolsoverLab (minister)aye
Angela SmithBasildonLabaye
Mr Chris SmithIslington South and FinsburyLab (minister)aye
Geraldine SmithMorecambe and LunesdaleLabaye
John SmithVale of GlamorganLabaye
Mr Llew SmithBlaenau GwentLabaye
Mr Peter SnapeWest Bromwich EastLabaye
Mr Clive SoleyEaling, Acton and Shepherd's BushLab (minister)aye
Helen SouthworthWarrington SouthLabaye
John SpellarWarleyLab (minister)aye
Rachel SquireDunfermline WestLabaye
Mr George StevensonStoke-on-Trent SouthLabaye
Ian StewartEcclesLabaye
Mr Paul StinchcombeWellingboroughLabaye
Howard StoateDartfordLabaye
Mr Roger StottWiganLabaye
Graham StringerManchester, BlackleyLab (minister)aye
Gerry SutcliffeBradford SouthLabaye
Mrs Ann TaylorDewsburyLab (minister)aye
Dari TaylorStockton SouthLabaye
Mr Gareth ThomasClwyd WestLabaye
Gareth ThomasHarrow WestLab (minister)aye
Stephen TimmsEast HamLabaye
Paddy TippingSherwoodLabaye
Don TouhigIslwynLabaye
Mr Dennis TurnerWolverhampton South EastLab (minister)aye
Derek TwiggHaltonLabaye
Stephen TwiggEnfield, SouthgateLabaye
Rudi VisFinchley and Golders GreenLabaye
Claire WardWatfordLabaye
Dave WattsSt Helens NorthLab (minister)aye
Alan WhiteheadSouthampton, TestLab (minister)aye
Dr Alan WilliamsCarmarthen East and DinefwrLabaye
Alan WilliamsSwansea WestLabaye
Betty WilliamsConwyLabaye
David WinnickWalsall NorthLab (minister)aye
Rosie WintertonDoncaster CentralLabaye
Ms Audrey WisePrestonLabaye
Mike WoodBatley and SpenLabaye
Phil WoolasOldham East and SaddleworthLabaye
Mr Tony WorthingtonClydebank and MilngavieLab (minister)aye
Anthony D WrightGreat YarmouthLabaye
Derek WyattSittingbourne and SheppeyLabaye
Mr Richard AllanSheffield, HallamLDem (front bench)aye
Norman BakerLewesLDem (front bench)aye
Mrs Jackie BallardTauntonLDemaye
Mr John BurnettTorridge and West DevonLDemaye
Mr Brian CotterWeston-Super-MareLDem (front bench)aye
Edward DaveyKingston and SurbitonLDem (front bench)aye
Andrew GeorgeSt IvesLDem (front bench)aye
Donald GorrieEdinburgh WestLDemaye
Evan HarrisOxford West and AbingdonLDemaye
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)aye
Mark OatenWinchesterLDemaye
Bob RussellColchesterLDem (front bench)aye
Robert SmithWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineLDemaye
Dr Jenny TongeRichmond ParkLDem (front bench)aye
Phil WillisHarrogate and KnaresboroughLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Ieuan Wyn JonesYnys MônPCaye
Elfyn LlwydMeirionnydd Nant ConwyPC (front bench)aye
Mr Seamus MallonNewry and ArmaghSDLPaye
Eddie McGradySouth DownSDLPaye
Robert McCartneyNorth DownUKUPno
Jeffrey M. DonaldsonLagan ValleyUUP (front bench)no
Mr William RossEast LondonderryUUPno
Martin SmythBelfast SouthUUPtellno
John TaylorStrangfordUUPtellno
Mr William ThompsonWest TyroneUUPno
Rt Hon David TrimbleUpper BannUUP (front bench)no

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