Lord Empey: Northern Ireland legislation shoved through at Westminster

The veteran politician levelled the charge as the UK administration took steps to ensure that two bills affecting the Province, including one that makes huge cuts to renewable energy subsidies, go through the House of Lords in one day.

Raising concerns over legislation being “shoved through” without proper scrutiny, he urged the government to end the practice.

Lord Empey pointed out that the Northern Ireland (Regional Rates and Energy) (No 2) Bill would have a “very, very significant” impact on many businesses and individuals.

Changes to the controversial Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme would see annual returns for the most common RHI boilers reduced from £13,000 to £2,000 from April 1.

The scheme was closed to new entrants in 2016 after claims that the tariffs were overly generous, and the controversy around how it was handled at Stormont led in part to the collapse of the devolved Executive and Assembly.

Lord Empey argued there had been “a pattern developing” in recent years where almost every piece of Northern Ireland legislation was being subject to a process which meant it being fast-tracked.

He also referred to objections raised by MPs “that no scrutiny of any significance was being provided”.

Lord Empey added: “We know from time to time it is necessary to use these procedures and I accept that.

“But what we have here is a pattern where every piece of Northern Ireland legislation is shoved through in one day on this basis without scrutiny.”

He called on the leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Evans of Bowes Park, “to consult with her colleagues in government to try and bring this process to an end so that legislation is dealt with through a proper process”.

Stressing the need for Northern Ireland legislation to be subject to normal parliamentary processes, he said: “Because I feel we are almost at the point that these matters are an abuse of the parliamentary process.”

He was supported by Lord Cormack, who as an MP was chairman of the Northern Ireland Select Committee.

Urging greater scrutiny, the Conservative peer said: “It’s all the more important because the fact that the Executive is not in being, the Assembly is not meeting, therefore it is incumbent upon us to look with some detail at matters which do affect the lives of people throughout Northern Ireland.

“I would add my plea to Lord Empey’s that this is a process that we should not indulge in again.

“Especially during this time when Northern Ireland has no adequate devolved government.”