Severe difficulties have recently arisen in the devolved government in Northern Ireland. Alistair Lexden welcomed the cross-party discussions that Theresa Villiers, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, began on 16th October in the hope of securing a resolution of the problems. ‘ We are all surely united in wishing the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland every success in her endeavours’, he said in a debate on Northern Ireland in the Lords on October 22.
He reminded the House that, despite devolution, Parliament must always remain conscious that it retains the ultimate responsibility for the welfare of the people of Province. ‘They are our fellow citizens, our fellow communities. As someone once said, "We are all in this together".