§ Q3. Mr. Arthur Davidsonasked the Prime Minister whether he will now arrange a meeting with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, with a view to discussing matters of mutual interest.
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans for a meeting with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland at the moment, but my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has been keeping in close touch with the situation in Northern Ireland and had a meeting with Major Chichester-Clark yesterday.
§ Mr. DavidsonIn view of the discontent which is always simmering below the surface in Northern Ireland, is my right hon. Friend satisfied that sufficient progress has been made by the Northern Ireland Government in removing the discrimination which first gave rise to the discontent?
§ The Prime MinisterThe House has debated this matter and we have dealt with it frequently at Question Time. There is a great backlog of legislation and other action needed in Northern Ireland to cover the years when nothing was done. A big start was made by Captain, now Lord, O'Neill, and the pace has been intensified since last summer. There is still a fair way to go in terms of legislation, but any objective student of the situation will feel that great progress has been made, however late it has been. The other big problems are economic. My hon. Friend will have seen 619 the statement about the large increase in United Kingdom Government assistance to deal with urgent and pressing problems in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ThorpeIf the Queen's Speech at Stormont indicates that the result of these talks is increased financial assistance for housing, education and jobs in Northern Ireland, is the Prime Minister aware that this House will wish to take a continuing interest to see that the targets set are achieved—and achieved on the basis of non-discrimination?
§ The Prime MinisterThe right hon. Gentleman is right to stress the continuing interest of this House in these matters. That interest does not lie merely in the large financial provision that this House makes for Northern Ireland. It also lies in the fact that British troops are committed there to deal with problems which could not be dealt with by local means. I agree with the right hon. Gentleman that this House will take a continuing interest in these problems.
§ Mr. OrmeWill my right hon. Friend insist that the extra aid for which Mr. Chichester-Clark has asked is tied by Her Majesty's Government to the fact that the aid should be spent in the areas—particularly west of the Bann—where unemployment is desperate and people are crying out for jobs?
§ The Prime MinisterThe further aid which has been pledged related particularly to the housing programme and to other matters which have already been raised this afternoon. We had satisfactory assurances about non-discrimination ahead of the granting of the aid. As for where the financial assistance is best spent in Northern Ireland, it is not for me to express an opinion. The important point is that facilities are there and that industrialists intending to establish themselves there know it.
§ Mr. Stratton MillsAs the Prime Minister referred to the economic programme, may I ask whether he will consider as a matter of urgency the relaxation of the credit squeeze in Northern Ireland alone, as it would be of great value in promoting economic activity and helping a return to normality?
§ The Prime MinisterThe biggest impediment to economic advance in Northern Ireland and to overseas companies establishing themselves there has been the scenes that we have witnessed over the past several months in Northern Ireland. Her Majesty's Government have played their full part in dealing with the situation. The most urgent need is to re-create confidence there. The hon. Gentleman and many others have played their part in trying to defuse a difficult situation, as have some very courageous people on the other side in the Northern Ireland difficulties. However, there are many people of extreme views who are making economic recovery very difficult.