HC Deb 10 March 1986 vol 93 cc659-60
42. Mr. Dubs

asked the Lord Privy Seal what recent representations he has received about the establishment of an Anglo-Irish parliamentary tier.

The Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Biffen)

A number of right hon. and hon. Members have made known to me their interest in the establishment of such a body.

Mr. Dubs

Is the Leader of the House aware that many people are puzzled at the lack of progress on setting up this Anglo-Irish parliamentary tier, given that it was part of the recent agreement between London and Dublin. I put it bluntly to the Leader of the House—when will the House have an opportunity of debating this?

Mr. Biffen

There is no immediate prospect of any such debate, as I told the hon. Gentleman when he last raised this matter. It is being proceeded with through the usual channels and that is how it stands.

Mr. Latham

Is my right hon. Friend aware that those of us who support this agreement and regret the absence

Staff in post at 1 October each year (including part-time empolyees)
Year Speaker's Office Clerk's Department Serjeant at Arms Department Library Department Administration Department Department of Official Report Refreshment Department∗
1975 10 113 205 109 47 57 —
1976 10 109 208 112 47 61 —
1977 10 111 197 110 50 58 —
1978 10 114 214 121 50 58 —
1979 10 119 211 125 61 60 —
1980 10 136 212 133 71 71 235
1981 10 144 210 138 71 71 237
1982 12 142 214 138 74 69 244
1983 14 139 216 152 80 71 246
1984 15 139 213 148 86 71 245
1985 16 137 215 163 90 72 241
1986† 12 142 213 158 86 75 245
∗ Prior to 1980 the Refreshment Department was not a Department of the House and records of the numbers of staff employed in this period are incomplete.
† At 1 March 1986.

of most of the Unionist Members from this Chamber, nevertheless hope that he will show his customary wisdom and proceed with this matter extremely deliberately?

Mr. Biffen

I thank my hon. Friend.

Mr. Freeson

Why has this matter taken so long, whether or not through the usual channels? It is not months, but several years, that Members of this House, including myself, have been asking the right hon. Gentleman and others for action in this direction. If it is now an agreed policy, why is something not being done about it shortly?

Mr. Biffen

As the right hon. Gentleman will have heard, the matter is being considered through the usual channels.