Union with Great Britain (Hansard, 9 April 1981)

§ 2. Mr. Marlow
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce new proposals to strengthen the Union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

§ The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Humphrey Atkins)
The strength of the Union is not in question. Both my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I have repeatedly made it clear that Northern Ireland will remain part of the United Kingdom for as long as that is the wish of the majority of the people of Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Marlow
I wonder whether it would be helpful if we were to forget the qualification that my right hon. Friend has just made and if he were to make today a declaration in ringing tones, because he is confident that it will remain the wish of the people of Northern Ireland, that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and will always remain part of the United Kingdom. The people could then get on with enjoying being part of the United Kingdom rather than having the feeling about that there is everything to play for and that one day a British Government might get fed up with holding on to Northern Ireland, or the people of Northern Ireland might be pushed into removing themselves from the United Kingdom.

§ Mt. Atkins
The Government's present stance is based on the principle of self-determination, which I think commands general acceptance in the House.

§ Mr. Molyneaux
While the Secretary of State may not find it necessary to introduce legislation to give effect to the point made by the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow), does he agree that it would strengthen the Union if he continued to use his endeavours to provide more efficient government at all levels in Northern Ireland, following the pattern in the rest of the United Kingdom? Does he also agree that the best way to strengthen the Union is to treat Northern Ireland on exactly the same basis as the rest of the United Kingdom?

§ Mr. Atkins
I shall not comment on part of the hon. Gentleman's question, because it is dealt with in subsequent questions on the Order Paper. I hope that he is not suggesting that Northern Ireland should be treated as if it were Northamptonshire. If we did that, it would cause considerable offence to a substantial part of the population and would not entirely satisfy the other part.

§ Mr. Biggs-Davison
While increased representation in the House, which we are waiting for, will strengthen the Union, will Ministers consider, in the advice that they may tender to the Crown, the increase of the representation of Northern Ireland in another place?

§ Mr. Atkins
That is not a matter for me, but I note what my hon. Friend says and I will ensure that his comments are made known to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

§ Mr. Arthur Lewis
While the Secretary of State cannot agree to make the statement for which his hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) asked, will he make a statement deploring the filthy murder of the poor mother who was doing her census duty? The whole House would support the right hon. Gentleman if he made such a statement.

§ Mr. Atkins
I thought that that matter would come up on a later question. The hon. Gentleman will have noted that the Minister who was on duty in Northern Ireland that evening issued a statement utterly deploring that callous, cowardly murder.

§ Mr. Concannon
Whatever steps the right hon. Gentleman is or is not taking to strengthen the Union, will he tell the House what is likely to happen as a result of the Anglo-Irish talks? Last week I met the Taoiseach and the Foreign Affairs Minister in Dublin, but it is unsatisfactory that I should have to trip off to Dublin to find out what is going on. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Opposition agree in principle with the talks, but lack of information to us does not help?

§ Mr. Atkins
As I have often told the House, studies are going on between officials under the direction of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach into ways of developing what they have discribed as the unique relationship between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland—a description with which I agree. Officials will be reporting to my right hon. Friend and to the Taoiseach who will meet again later this year. When action is contemplated as a result of any suggestions that come forward the House will be informed.