§ 9. Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his latest consideration of constitutional changes for Northern Ireland.
§ 15. Mr. Stanbrookasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on constitutional progress in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsOn 2 July I announced to the House my intention to form a Northern Ireland Council and outlined my proposals for its composition and range of functions. I also told the House that I would consult the Northern Ireland political parties about the details of those proposals before inviting the House to approve them. This process has begun.
§ Sir John Biggs-DavisonHas my right hon. Friend analysed The Sunday Times poll, which indicates that there is considerable Roman Catholic support in Northern Ireland for the Union and that about 39 per cent. of Roman Catholics would find integration acceptable? As then: is no general agreement on forms of devolution, will he give more consideration to integration?
§ Mr. AtkinsI have seen The Sunday Times poll. My hon. Friend will remember that one of the range of functions that I shall invite the Northern Ireland Council to consider is the future form of administering the affairs of the Province. It seems to me better in the end, rather than simply relying on a poll, to collect together the elected representatives of the political parties and get them to advise me.
§ Mr. StanbrookSince, in the legislative field, the Secretary of State could well make more use of the Northern Ireland Committee consisting of all hon. Members representing Northern Ireland in this Parliament, and in the local government sphere he could transfer more powers to district councils, why does he persist in the antediluvian idea of an advisory council?
§ Mr. AtkinsThe question of the Northern Ireland Committee of the House is more a matter for my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House than for me. I am not aware that any meeting of that Committee requested by Northern Ireland hon. Members has ever been refused. If I am wrong about that, I stand to be corrected. It is a matter for Members of the House how much use they make of that Committee.
On the second point, I repeat that one of the functions of the Northern Ireland Council will be to discuss among its members how we should proceed—including, if it wishes, the restoration of more power to local authorities—and advise me. I shall then be able to come to the House and make recommendations, knowing, I hope, that they have the support of the elected representatives in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. MolyneauxWith regard to the preliminary consultations about the advisory council, does not the Secretary of State see the impossibility of anyone engaging in what he describes as discussions on matters of detail when one of the parties is utterly opposed to the concept in principle?
§ Mr. AtkinsThe hon. Gentleman must say what he thinks is possible or impossible. I shall find it very 1379 surprising if political parties in Northern Ireland refuse to take an opportunity to discuss how they may be more closely involved and take more power in controlling their own affairs.