Described the impact of violence in Northern Ireland, including arson attacks and terrorised communities. Asked about Government support for victims and measures against online agitators and perpetrators.

Inquires about the police resources available to deal with illegal immigration and violence, expressing concern over mass illegal immigration and its impact on public safety. Acknowledges the anger felt by the public but warns against criminality.

Expresses support for political leaders speaking with one voice in condemning violence and supporting a shared future, highlighting the bravery of the police.

Asks about additional financial support for PSNI and data collection on irregular migration across the Northern Ireland border.

Concerned about young people witnessing violence and disorder, asks for support to protect them.

Highlights involvement of young people in disorder and suggests a review on how they have been groomed into violence.

People in this House and beyond, including from Moscow, are whipping up hate and disorder in our country, and what happened last night in Northern Ireland was a sickening example of that. Children nearly died. Does the Minister agree with my proposal that the sight of people arriving here by boat or by crossing from Ireland could be ended by processing asylum claims at the nearest point of safety?

Those who come into our country illegally should be told, “You will never get asylum.” The Irish Government should also be spoken to so that the Irish Republic does not become a conduit for illegal immigration.

People are finding answers online in a toxic world of social media, creating tension. How can we help people access trusted sources of information to challenge those spreading hatred?

Does the Minister share my concern that the circumstances in which individuals come into this country send a signal to those who wish us harm, making it easier for them to infiltrate? What will be the response if there is a terrorist attack?

The crime committed was horrific, and violence in response has been appalling. Many constituents are concerned about racially motivated attacks on families, feeling scared. Will the Minister continue to stand together against extremism and violence?

The Minister said to criminals, “Do not do it.” With respect, that will not cut it. What are the Government doing to fix the fundamentals underpinning the situation in Belfast?

My constituents were horrified by scenes in Belfast and Southampton following horrifying individual incidents that were exploited for extremist political ends, including online. What consequences will be faced by those who meet the threshold for encouraging acts of criminality?

Urges the Minister to look at swift processes for asylum applications from three years ago, and highlights a loophole in security where individuals can enter without proper verification. Asks the Minister to engage with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on uniformity.

Echoes the Minister and hon. Friend's remarks, praises those involved in disarming the attacker, and criticises those who use such events for division. Asks for condemnation of those spreading hate online.

Expresses concern over the rise of the far right and influences behind recent events in Belfast, asks Minister to acknowledge this new problem.

Condemns violence and praises those who helped the victim. Raises concerns about PSNI resources, the open border facilitating illegal immigration, and genuine public concerns about illegal immigration.

Raises concerns over illegal migrants entering via asylum system and open border, asks for more conversations with Irish Government.

Asks for measures to address lack of personnel at Border Force and prevent North Channel becoming a conduit for illegal immigration.

I thank the hon. Member for Belfast South and Mid Down (Claire Hanna) for securing this urgent question, and I thank the Security Minister for his characteristically serious and thoughtful responses. It strikes me that there are three lines of investigation: first, into the abhorrent act on Monday night, and we have a suspect; secondly, into the disorder that we saw last night, and I heard the Minister say that three people have been arrested as suspects; and thirdly, into those who seek to incite violence. Can the Minister confirm that there is that third strand of active investigation—that we are seeking to find the people who incited the violence last week and last night, and who continue to do so?

Rightly, there has been unanimous condemnation of the violence last night in Belfast, as there was of the incident that occurred in north Belfast that precipitated the protests last night. Does the Minister agree that two years ago, following the Southport attacks, similar violence to last night appeared in Northern Ireland? We all condemned that too, and I asked the Deputy First Minister to accompany me on a visit to our local hospital to reassure ethnic minority workers there that we not just condemned the violence against them, but stood shoulder to shoulder with them in opposition to it. However, we need more than just words and people standing shoulder to shoulder. We hope that there will never be a repeat of last night’s violence, but if the Government do not deal with the fundamental underlying problem of the previous night, we will have more nights like that one.

All that the perpetrators of last night’s dreadful violence did was terrorise the innocent, inflict harm on their own communities, and distract from the awfulness of the north Belfast attack—and, indeed, distract from the many peaceful protests that took place in my constituency and elsewhere. On all these issues, the law must take its full course against all illegality, wheresoever it comes from. However, the deadly impact of the continuing open border with the Republic of Ireland for illegal migrants still stands. This Government preside over a situation in which it is illegal to bring a garden plant from Great Britain into Northern Ireland, yet we have an open border with the Irish Republic, which gentlemen like this Sudanese man—an illegal immigrant—can cross unhindered into the United Kingdom. Does the Minister not see the problem?

The House owes a big debt of thanks to the hon. Member for Belfast South and Mid Down (Claire Hanna) for raising this question today. Last night the scenes of racist violence on the streets of Belfast, with gangs going from door to door looking for “foreigners”, and the racist abuse being thrown at any minority ethnic person on the streets of Belfast, were utterly disgusting, as were last night’s attempts by people in Glasgow and Liverpool to emulate that and do exactly the same. What message does the Minister have for the far-right racists who are encouraged by parties represented in this House to make it clear that they will not be allowed to assemble in the next few days and over the weekend to promote the same kind of racist language and violence against minorities within our society? None of this racist stuff builds a house, feeds a child, or educates anybody. Surely what we need to do is unite people against racism in any form in our society.

I thank the Minister for his thoughtful answers, which are helpful to those of us asking questions. I totally condemn the violence that took place in Belfast. Yesterday I stood in this place and spoke about people’s right to protest peacefully and to have their Government take account of their fears and their views. As the Member of Parliament for Strangford, I can say that not one stone was thrown by the hundreds and hundreds of people who stood by the cenotaph in Newtownards last night. Women with zimmer frames, young mothers with children and families stood in companionable silence, and the PSNI has confirmed that no thuggery whatsoever took place. Those people did what they needed to do to have their voice heard. Now it is time for the Government to do what they need to do, and listen to and act for those decent and reasonable people who are not thugs and who have valid fears. Will the Minister confirm that the views of the reasonable thousands throughout the Province who quietly asked for their voice to be heard will not be ignored as a result of the loud actions of some terrible thugs?

May I wish you a happy birthday, Mr Speaker? Let me also thank the hon. Member for Belfast South and Mid Down (Claire Hanna) for her very balanced question. Of course we recognise and commend the efforts of the individuals who intervened on Monday to help the victim and of those in the emergency services, who were no doubt confronted with very challenging scenes last night. My question is very simple: will the Minister be considering the use of special courts to expedite matters by giving rioters harsh sentences to act as a deterrent?

The victim, Stephen Ogilvie, is a health service worker, a radiographer. Our health service across the United Kingdom, but especially in Northern Ireland, depends on many workers with many nationalities and from many communities. It was therefore abhorrent to see some of those health service workers being attacked last night by those contemplating and delivering violence. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that all authorities in Northern Ireland have the full support of this Government for any action that needs to be taken not only against those who are perpetrating the violence, but against those who are acting online to spread the hatred and the violence that we are now seeing? This morning the leader of my party spoke to the father of the victim, who has made a direct appeal to those who are spreading disinformation online to stop—and that includes the disinformation that his son has died. What steps can the Government take to support the family, including the father, in their asks?

The pogroms that we witnessed last night should shock the nation. They were horrific in every sense, and are bound to have left minority communities across the country terrified. We saw widespread scenes of violent disorder, with homes ablaze, and there were reports of people’s cars being stopped and checked on the basis of their race. The depraved scenes of violence that triggered the eruptions last night were also horrific, and understandably provoked anger. These are scenes more reminiscent of the darkest chapters of history than of modern Britain. We must be honest: something is profoundly wrong. Why is it that isolated incidents are repeatedly followed by such extreme and widespread eruptions of violence? What failures of policy and governance over the decades have brought us to this point, where anger and vulnerability have become so dangerously heightened and so easily exploited?

Expressed concern over violence in her constituency, condemning it while highlighting the underlying issues of uncontrolled immigration and open borders. She requested numbers on those crossing into the UK via the border with the Republic of Ireland and a commitment to replicate the Irish system of checks.

Joined in condemning the violence, emphasising that it was not legitimate protest but terrorizing of innocent families. He asked what the Government is doing to counter racism and prevent stigmatization of entire communities.

Condemned recent racial attacks but pointed out those who politicize and weaponize hate, especially through media. He suggested setting up a cross-party taskforce to tackle this issue.