§ 1. Professor Savoryasked the Secretary of State for Dominions Affairs whether any record exists in his Department showing whether the Government of Northern Ireland was consulted with regard to the abrogation by the Agreement of 1938 of the clause in the Agreement of 1921 reserving to His Majesty's Imperial forces the use of Lough Swilly, situated within a few miles of the City of Londonderry?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (Mr. Shakespeare)No, Sir. As has been made clear in public statements by the present Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and his predecessor, the Northern Ireland Government was 2 a party to the Agreement of 1938 relating to the transfer of the ports.
§ Professor SavoryDoes the hon. Gentleman realise how very seriously Northern Ireland is concerned, and that Lough Swilly is within nine miles of the City of Londonderry, which is the second city of Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. ShakespeareI realise that.
§ Sir Hugh O'NeillIn view of the well-known fact that the Government of Northern Ireland were opposed to the handing-over of the ports to Southern Ireland, might it not have been better to have had consultations with them officially and to have paid some attention to their views?
§ Mr. ShakespeareI was asked on a question of fact. Now the right hon. Gentleman asks for an opinion, and I am not called upon to give that.