Ulster Grand Committee

HC Deb 28 February 1983 vol 38 cc18-20

33. Sir John Biggs-Davison

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will move to establish an Ulster Grand Committee.

Mr. Biffen

I have no plans to do so.

Sir John Biggs-Davison

Has my right hon. Friend observed the state of the Northern Ireland Assembly? Does he not think that the interests of the United Kingdom would be better served if specific Northern Ireland legislation were included in general United Kingdom legislation and there were an appropriate adjustment of our Committee system, so that Northern Ireland could be treated as, say, Scotland and Wales are treated?

Mr. Biffen

I note with respect the case that my hon. Friend argues. It is probably too early to come to a definitive judgment on the value of the Northern Ireland Assembly, but if it were decided that we wanted to improve our Committee structure, I should have thought that there would at least be a case for considering alterations to the Northern Ireland Committee rather than for setting up a new Committee.