HC Deb 21 March 1996 vol 274 cc482-4
5. Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to promote interest in the culture and landscape of Ulster among Ulster's diaspora. [20411]

The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. Michael Ancram)

The British Council and the Northern Ireland tourist board promote interest in Northern Ireland internationally, though their activities are not directed primarily at people of Northern Ireland origin or descent.

Mr. Mackinlay

I congratulate the Northern Ireland tourist board and its friends in Bord Failte on co-promoting the ancient Province of Ulster. Does the Minister share my view that an invitation should be extended to many hon. Members who have never visited the Province of Ulster, let alone Northern Ireland, and that our friends in North America and Australia should be encouraged to visit Ulster to see it for themselves?

That would be a great confidence-boosting measure to the people of Northern Ireland, especially if the visitors were to visit Cavan and Monaghan and go to see the mountains of Mourne, the Antrim coastline and the city of Belfast, stopping off at Bush Mills and visiting the beautiful city on the Foyle, as well as looking in at St. Patrick's city of Armagh, the American folk park in Omagh and President McKinley's birthplace in Antrim.

Mr. Ancram

The hon. Gentleman and I may not often agree, but in so far as the areas that he described are in Northern Ireland, I very much agree with him. We all do our best to promote tourism to all parts of Northern Ireland. As he says, there is much to see. I fear that the itinerary that he has set out may be beyond the pocket of the average tourist, but it obviously was not in his case.

Rev. William McCrea

What steps will the Minister and the Government take to encourage the majority Ulster Scots culture, rather than the constant bombardment of the Ulster people and others by a foreign Irish Gaelic culture? Will the Government take the initiative, as they have rightly said that they believe in the Union?

Mr. Ancram

As a Scottish borderer, I have a great deal of respect for the Scots language, which is the parent language of Ulster Scots. The Ulster Scots linguistic tradition is one important strand in Northern Ireland's complex cultural heritage and I am taking steps to ensure that it receives the same treatment as the Scots language in Scotland.

Mr. John D. Taylor

In view of that excellent statement, is the Minister surprised that the central community relations unit now gives 20 times more money to the promotion of the Irish language than to the Ulster Scots tradition—even though, as he said, Ulster Scots is the main linguistic tradition in Northern Ireland? Will he therefore ensure that the imbalance is corrected when promoting Ulster culture abroad—which is what the question refers to—and that the Government will no longer discriminate against the majority culture in Northern Ireland?

Mr. Ancram

The right hon. Gentleman heard my comments about how the Ulster Scots language should be treated, which is the Government's policy also. As to promoting Ulster abroad—particularly to those of Ulster ancestry—the Northern Ireland tourist board has a mechanism for attracting people back to Northern Ireland, which is what the question is about. It has introduced a guide entitled "Tracing Your Ancestry", and I wish it well in that endeavour.

Mr. Worthington

The people of Northern Ireland's diaspora and the people of Northern Ireland itself are interested in one aspect of its culture above all others—whether the talks on 10 June progress in a way that helps to promote a full settlement. That should include decommissioning in the way suggested by Mitchell and strands one, two and three—

Madam Speaker

Order. We have strayed quite a long way from the question, which refers to the culture and landscape of Ulster. There are many more questions on the subject that the hon. Gentleman is raising.

Mr. Worthington

One important cultural aspect is that of parity of prestige within Northern Ireland. I would like the Minister's assurance that talks will go forward on all aspects: decommissioning and strands one, two and three in parallel—

Madam Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman is quite out of order. It will be in order for the Minister to reply to part of the question.

Mr. Ancram

I can give a very short reply. The intention of any negotiations is to ensure that, in the future, there is mutual respect for each other's culture within Northern Ireland.

Madam Speaker

Thank you. Perhaps in future hon. Members—particularly those on the Front Bench—will keep to the subject of the question.