§ 17. Mr. Douglasasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will 947 make a statement on the progress being made to achieve a political solution to the Northern Ireland problem.
§ Mr. WhitelawI discussed this matter among others with the Unionist Party and will meet them again. I have in addition met representatives of the Northern Ireland Labour Party, the Northern Ireland Liberal Party, the Alliance Party, the Republican Labour Party and the Democratic Unionist Party to discuss my proposal for a conference, and I hope to meet the Social Democratic Labour Party next week.
§ Mr. DouglasWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, may I ask him whether he will not now concede that we need to proceed apace to bring the political parties together in Northern Ireland to get on with a political solution so that the people who have the guns in their hands will not have their status enhanced? Is he aware that what we want to do is to enhance the status of politicians in Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. WhitelawI agree.
§ Mr. Hugh FraserWould my right hon. Friend not agree that one of the determinants in a political solution must be an easing of tension? Would he not further agree with some of the remarks made by the Leader of the Liberal Party that the time has come, with this enormous number of troops in Northern Ireland, to see that arms are handed in? Would he agree that there are far too many arms on both sides? Is he aware that now is the time to call in heavy calibre riles, pistols and hand guns?
§ Mr. WhitelawAs for unlicensed arms, the figures on what has been achieved since the operation of 31st July are in themselves considerable. We have made considerable gains in arms in both Protestant and Catholic areas. If I mention that we have among these gains obtained 1½ tons of explosives it will be seen that that is a great deal in terms of the damage that might have been done if it had not been secured by us. We shall press on with this arms search as fast as we can. I have made my position about shotguns and air guns perfectly clear. I am prepared to look at higher calibre rifles, pistols and revolvers, but I must warn the House that even here there are a large number that are old war 948 relics and the rest. The real problem is that there are enormous amounts of arms for which there are no licences at all, and which we have to collect.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesMay I come back to the question of tension? Would the right lion. Gentleman not agree that it is time that some of the people in the North realised the moderate nature and the views of all the main political parties in the South and that even Mr. Faulkner has talked about an All-Ireland Council which would not entail the North being part of the Republic? May we hope that eventually this sort of solution may be looked at, because it would be for the good of all concerned?
§ Mr. WhitelawAll these matters will certainly be discussed and carefully considered.
§ 18. Captain Orrasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is now in a position to make a statement on Government policy about the future of Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe Government's policy continues to rest, as it always has done, on twin objectives: to restore peace and to destroy the capacity of men of violence to terrorise the community; and at the same time to engage in constructive discussion as to how the political, social and economic aspirations of the whole community can be met.
§ Captain OrrIs the Secretary of State aware that while political discussion is welcome, the important thing in Ulster is to have political decisions about the future fairly soon? So long as things are left open in the way they now are, there is danger. Will my right hon. Friend look at the general question about who represents whom? Has he given thought to the possibility of holding an early General Election for the Parliament of Northern Ireland, without necessarily committing himself to the future status of that Parliament, in order to determine who represents the views of the majority and the minority?
§ Mr. WhitelawI believe it right to discuss the future with those holding a very wide variety of views and opinions, as we have done. I also believe that the idea of a conference of the parties, attended by the elected representatives, 949 would also provide a wide variety of views. I hope thereafter that it will be possible urgently to produce the best solution that can be found.
§ Mr. OrmeWill the Secretary of State not agree that as Mr. Lynch consulted the SDLP, the elected representatives of the Catholic community, the other day, about the cease-fire and about the difficulties arising from last Monday, the Republic would be a moderating influence in any talks? Will he not consider bringing the Republic in at an early date, because this would then involve the whole of the Irish people, and I am sure that it would reassure the Protestants that the people in the South do not want automatic reunification?
§ Mr. WhitelawThere are two sides to that question. On the one hand, we must make it perfectly clear that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and that therefore a solution is the responsibility of the United Kingdom. On the other hand, I believe that the Republic has a considerable part to play in the removal of the capacity of terrorists to wreck the community, and anything that can be done to encourage the Republic to play that part, as I am sure it will, is extremely important. That is the basis on which I would like to work.