Devolution (Hansard, 27 May 1982)

§ 4. Mr. Winnick
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to have further consultations with political parties in Northern Ireland regarding the proposed Assembly.

§ 8. Sir John Biggs-Davison
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further response he has received from political parties in Northern Ireland to his constitutional proposals since the Second Reading of the Northern Ireland Bill.

§ 9. Mr. Arnold
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he now makes of political support in Northern Ireland for his proposals for elections to a devolved Assembly.

§ Mr. Prior
My main series of talks on the Government's proposals preceded the publication of the White Paper "Northern Ireland: A Framework for Devolution" and publication of the Northern Ireland Bill, which is currently before Parliament; but I shall naturally continue to be available for further discussions with the parties.
The Northern Ireland parties have continued to express some reservations about the Government's approach, and I fully recognise the doubts that exist. I have been encouraged, however, by the constructive response from many people in Northern Ireland, and I believe that there is a growing recognition that the flexible approach proposed by the Government is the right one in Northern Ireland's circumstances and represents the best hope for political progress.

§ Mr. Winnick
Since there seems to be so little support among the political parties on either side of the divide for the proposed Assembly, is it wise to go ahead with the legislation?

§ Mr. Prior
Yes, I think that it is wise. Although there is little support from the political parties, one must recognise that it would be difficult to get to the stage where any one political party could be seen to support proposals without making it impossible for the others to take part in anything that came after the proposals. I believe that there is a desire among the people of Northern Ireland for this flexible response and the new initiative that is necessary if Northern Ireland is again to have a degree of self-government and a responsibility for what happens there.

§ Sir John Biggs-Davison
Although most parties might take part in an Assembly which need become neither legislative nor the basis for an Executive—I hope that it will not—which parties endorse the rolling devolution policy set out in the White Paper?

§ Mr. Prior
As I have already said, at the moment, none do, but that is not necessarily a disadvantage.

§ Mr. Arnold
Has my right hon. Friend seen the Market Research Bureau poll which was published earlier this week? Is it not becoming increasingly apparent that the vast majority of the people who live in Northern Ireland would like the Government's initiative to make progress? May we have an assurance that the Government will not falter in their determination to see that the Northern Ireland Bill becomes law during this Session?

§ Mr. Prior
From time to time I have told my hon. Friend that one should not necessarily take the results of any one opinion poll too seriously, but that poll shows more widespread support for the Government's constitutional proposals than one would believe from listening to the Northern Ireland party leaders. That is something that we take into account.

§ Mr. McCusker
If the Secretary of State meets some of the local parties, will he tell them why he thinks that Mr. Charles Haughey thinks that his initiative is one of the most disastrous events that has ever taken place in the history of Anglo-Irish relations? Will the Secretary of State give his opinion in advance?

§ Mr. Prior
If I may say so, it would be far better if the Unionist Party started to tell its members why Mr. Haughey is wrong and what he believes in, and therefore why it might be to the advantage of the Unionist Party if it supported my proposals.

§ Mr. Flannery
When the Secretary of State has discussions with the various Northern Ireland political parties, will he try to find out why there is this strange state of affairs, which has already been mentioned, wherein most of the political parties are opposed to the idea——

§ Mr. Kilfedder
All of them.

§ Mr. Flannery
—all of them, and yet there is a poll which says that the people are in favour of it? Will he take into account the fact that some of us, including myself, for reasons completely different from those of the hon. Members behind me on the Unionist Party Bench, are opposed to the proposal because we believe that it was born of desperation and that it is heading back towards the old Stormont, which caused all the trouble?

§ Mr. Prior
All I can say is that, for once, the hon. Gentleman has probably hit the nail on the head. Everyone opposes this proposal for different reasons—some because it leads to devolution—that is opposed by the right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr. Powell)—some because it does not give enough power sharing, and some because it gives power sharing. There are countless reasons why people oppose it. The truth is that the people of Northern Ireland deserve something better than just opposition.