Trimble and Blunkett to discuss Criminal Justice Bill

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble is set to meet with Home Secretary David Blunkett and Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy tomorrow to discuss the Criminal Justice Bill.

A number of key sections of the bill is set to be extended, affecting Northern Ireland, having already passed through the House of Commons.

Speaking in advance of tomorrow’s meeting, North Down MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, who will accompany Mr Trimble, said: “Given that the cornerstone of the Belfast Agreement is the constitutional guarantee of the Province’s position within the United Kingdom, I am obviously very keen that the people of Northern Ireland are offered the same protection by the criminal justice system as that afforded to people living on the mainland. I intend to make this point very clearly to both David Blunkett and Paul Murphy and hope for a satisfactory response.”

Lady Hermon added: “While serving on the House of Commons Standing Committee tasked with scrutinising this Bill in detail, I became increasingly frustrated that key parts of it were not going to be extended to Northern Ireland. Why, for example, should someone who murders an on duty police officer or prison officer in Northern Ireland not receive the same mandatory life sentence as someone who commits such an offence in Great Britain?"

The people of Northern Ireland deserve to be equally well-protected from serious crime and anti-social behaviour as those in the rest of the Kingdom," she added.

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