International Fund for Ireland (Hansard, 21 March 1996)

§ 11. Mr. William Ross
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures he intends to put in place to monitor the expenditure of US contributions to the IFI in order to comply with the recent decision by the United States Congress to apply the Macbride principles to such expenditure. [20417]

§ Sir John Wheeler
Matters pertaining to disbursements by the international fund are a matter for its independent board. The board is supported by an advisory committee of senior officials who will advise it on the implementation of any conditions that may be attached to future donor contributions.

§ Mr. Ross
Surely the decision by the United States Congress raises the much wider question of whether employment practice in a United States-owned firm in Northern Ireland has to abide by United Kingdom or United States law. In those circumstances, what is Baroness Denton going to say to any possible investor from the United States who seeks advice on these matters?

§ Sir John Wheeler
The international fund, when operating in the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom, will obey the laws of the United Kingdom as they apply in Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Connarty
The Minister will recall that I proposed a 10-minute Bill on positive discrimination towards the long-term unemployed in Northern Ireland. During the debate, it was pointed out that many communities in Northern Ireland, of all traditions, suffer endemic, long-term unemployment and that positive discrimination towards the long-term unemployed is not allowed under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989. Do the Government have any proposals to allow IFI money to be spent in a way that would positively discriminate in favour of the sumps of long-term unemployment in the communities of all the traditions in Northern Ireland?

§ Sir John Wheeler
The Government deplore any discrimination against any citizens living in Northern Ireland, which has the most formidable battery of laws—some regard them as oppressive—applying to that area. As to the detail of future policy, that is a question for my colleague, Baroness Denton, who will consider the hon. Gentleman's point carefully.