§ 6. Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next plans to have discussions with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about the future of Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. HurdI look forward to continuing discussions with Ministers of the Government of the Irish Republic within the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council. I would not normally expect to announce in advance the dates for such meetings.
§ Mr. DubsWhen the Secretary of State next meets his opposite number from the Republic of Ireland, will he be putting forward specific proposals about the future of Northern Ireland, or simply responding to suggestions from the Republic or from the political parties in the North?
§ Mr. HurdWhen the occasion arises I shall be guided by the phrase in the Chequers communiqué of November, which referred to the need for close and continuing dialogue between the two Governments on subjects related to Northern Ireland within the framework of the intergovernmental council. It is certainly not just a matter of sitting back and listening to the ideas of others. We may well have some ideas of our own.
§ Mr. AshbyWill my right hon. Friend take this opportunity to assure the House that the Government remain committed to a close and developing relationship with the Irish Government? Does he believe that the misunderstandings which arose after the recent summit have now been dispelled?
§ Mr. FlanneryDoes the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that, contrary to the views of the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Proctor), when part of a country has been wrested from it by force of arms it is inevitable and natural that the rest of the country—the 26 counties as opposed to the six—should be interested in the future of that part? Moreover, does he realise that there will be no future except killing, bombing and so on unless discussions take place between the Republic and this country about the future of Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. HurdWhen the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) says that something is inevitable, our doubts are automatically aroused. When he goes on to make a fundamentalist statement which is deeply unhelpful, our doubts become certainties.
§ Rev. Ian PaisleyWill the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that there will be no departure from the policy stated time and again by the Prime Minister that the future constitutional position of Northern Ireland is a matter for Her Majesty's Government, this House and the people of Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. HurdThe constitutional guarantee has been stated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and by successive Secretaries of State, and it stands.
§ Mr. McCuskerDespite what the Secretary of State said, does he accept that although there may be matters of mutual interest which should be discussed with the Government of the Irish Republic, the future of Northern Ireland should not be so discussed?
§ Mr. HurdI think that the position was made perfectly clear in the Chequers communiqué and in what was said after it by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and myself. I believe that the Irish Government are well aware of the constraints and limits thus set by ourselves, but within those constraints I believe that there is a good deal of useful and important work to be done.
§ Mr. StanbrookFollowing the question of the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs), who does my right hon. Friend regard as his "opposite number" in the Republic? Are not relations with sovereign states a matter for our right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary?
§ Mr. HurdI did not take that point up at the time as it seemed somewhat captious to do so, but my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) is quite right. I believe that I am unique.