§ 12. Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set up a commission to consider ways of re-establishing full and effective local government in Northern Ireland in line with that which exists in the rest of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PriorNo. The Government believe that their proposals contained in the White Paper "Northern Ireland: A Framework for Devolution" and the Northern Ireland Bill 1982 offer the best prospect of political arrangements acceptable to both sides of the community in Northern Ireland.
§ 19. Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends that the Chairman or Deputy Chairman of a departmental Committee established under the rolling devolution proposals could be prevented from attending any meetings of the proposed parliamentary level body, if the Assembly or the relevant departmental committee should so decide by a majority vote.
§ Mr. PriorAs the Government made clear in their White Paper "Northern Ireland: A Framework for Devolution" we would expect the arrangements for any Anglo-Irish body which might be created at parliamentary level to enable Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to participate if they so wished. If such a body were to be established, I hope that the Assembly would not seek to prevent any Assembly Members from participating in its deliberations.