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Northern Ireland election

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2 minutes to spare

  • Mark Devenport
  • 25 Apr 07, 12:09 PM

Northern Ireland questions in the Commons trailed to a halt two minutes early today, meaning that Tony Blair had to spring into action earlier than he had expected.

The early finish came after a number of questions were dropped from the prepared list - the SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell wasn't on hand to ask a question about medical training, and the DUP's Sammy Wilson wasn't there to ask about provision for young people with disabilities. The UUP's Lady Hermon was there, but did not put a question on the list about Alzheimers treatment and the Tory MP Philip Hollobone didn't ask a question about the future size of the Northern Ireland Office.

The missing questions were compounded by missing MPs - the DUP team was much smaller than usual as many of their MPs are busy getting briefed on their new responsibilities at Stormont.

During Prime Minister's questions, the DUP's David Simpson did ask Tony Blair something. Not about Northern Ireland, though. He wanted to know why the government is spending 拢30 million on a new London academy to teach parents to recite nursery rhymes to their children.

So if you had two minutes to spare to ask Peter Hain and his ministers any question at all, what would it be?

Comments   Post your comment

What is the minister for DCAL doing to address the very wide gap in funding for the arts in NI compared with the rest of the UK, and why is a further 拢800,000 to be cut in 2008 when NI is already spending less than half, per head of population, than our neighbours in the Republic?

( figures from )

  • 2.
  • At 05:00 PM on 25 Apr 2007,
  • martin wrote:

Why are stormont MLA's going to get a pay rise when ever civil servant's are paid 拢4000 less a year than their counterparts in the rest of the UK

  • 3.
  • At 05:06 PM on 25 Apr 2007,
  • henry grant lee wrote:

MPs queue up to get a chance to ask a question of a minister. What is it with NI's Westminster teams?

  • 4.
  • At 10:20 PM on 25 Apr 2007,
  • Bedd Gelert wrote:

Most of the things I'd like to ask Peter Hain wouldn't make it past the comment moderation...

But I would ask him, when he goes to see the Six Nations rugby, given that he is from South Africa, has worked in England and is the Minister of State for both Wales and Northern Ireland who he REALLY wants to see winning ?

  • 5.
  • At 06:18 AM on 26 Apr 2007,
  • Kevin wrote:

Sinn Fein have not been asking questions in the house of commons for a very long time and it doesn't seem to matter. I do believe that it will matter more in our own assembley what questions are asked. Do are MLAs need a payrise? They have been paid for years for doing nothing in Stormont.

  • 6.
  • At 10:50 AM on 26 Apr 2007,
  • Rosie Flood wrote:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether or not he will seek to be the opposition spokesman for Northern Ireland after the next General Election.

  • 7.
  • At 03:04 PM on 26 Apr 2007,
  • Pete wrote:

So not only have MLAs been absent from their duties in Parliament Buildings but they are now slacking at Westminster. Why are they still being paid? Some of us don't get paid until we have done the job!

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