HC Deb 23 December 1982 vol 34 cc1057-9
11. Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will review the role of representatives of the Northern Ireland Office posted to Her Majesty's embassy and Her Majesty's consulates in the United States of America.

Mr. Adam Butler

Several members of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, nearly all from the Industrial Development Board, are attached to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and are presently serving in certain of Her Majesty's diplomatic posts in the United States. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

What guarantee can the Government give that Industrial Development Board officers, funded out of the Northern Ireland Vote and charged with responsibility for promoting all the British regions and not exclusively the Northern Ireland region, are carrying out their functions properly? Will he give us an assurance that my region in the north of England is being promoted within their brief as vigorously as they are promoting Northern Ireland?

Mr. Butler

I have had the advantage of meeting all officers concerned, both in Northern Ireland when they return for annual conferences, and in post in North America. My impression is that they very fairly represent the interests of the United Kingdom as a whole. They work along with the "Invest in Britain" bureau and they report not direct to the Industrial Development Board but through the consular machine.

Mr. Adley

In that the tasks of these people and the question relate to promoting Her Majesty's Government's case concerning Northern Ireland, is my hon. Friend really satisfied that they are using the language and putting the case across in a way that the ordinary American citizen understands? Does my hon. Friend agree that it might be helpful to point out to the Americans that the people of Northern Ireland are as entitled to their identity separate from that of Southern Ireland as are the people of Canada from that of the United States, and that the people of Northern Ireland are as entitled to choose their relationship with the rest of the United Kingdom as are the people of Puerto Rico to choose their relationship with the rest of the United States?

Mr. Butler

I think my hon. Friend will find that all those who promote industrial investment in Northern Ireland have to be proficient in promoting Northern Ireland as a whole and to be fully informed on the political, security and other aspects, in order to meet the queries and expressions of concern that frequently arise from those who may be interested in investing.

Mr. Fitt

Have officials at the British embassy in Washington or anywhere else in the United States had their attention drawn to a document written by two Irish priests who paint a wholly inaccurate picture of what is happening in Northern Ireland? Does he know that those two priests are not speaking for the majority of Catholics or for the Catholic Church? Will he make representations to the leaders of the Catholic Church in Ireland and ask whether they agree that the views put forward in the document do not represent the views of the Catholic Church?

Mr. Butler

I do not know whether the industrial development officers have had their attention drawn to the document. When misleading propaganda is circulated it is our practice to counter it to the best of our ability. The latter part of the hon. Gentleman's question falls outside the scope of the question on the Order Paper, but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have heard what the hon. Gentleman has said and we shall follow it up.