HL Deb 18 February 1971 vol 315 cc699-701
LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the prolonged confrontation of force in Ulster, they will take urgent action to deal with the basic causes of discontent, including the practice of discrimination against the minority of the population.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD WINDLESHAM)

My Lords, as I stated in reply to the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell, yesterday, the Northern Ireland Government have been pursuing a full reform programme aimed at eliminating many of the basic causes of discontent.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer. I do not want to repeat yesterday's long exchange but in view of the grave situation may I ask him this question? Is it not now time—I will not say that we began to sit back and consider, but that we began to think afresh and constructively about a political solution of these problems in Northern Ireland?

LORD WINDLESHAM

My Lords, that is exactly the purpose of the meeting which the Prime Minister and some of his senior colleagues had with the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland at Chequers over the weekend.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether in the discussions these constructive suggestions may be considered: first, that the Race Relations Act of this country should be extended to Northern Ireland to deal with religious discrimination; and, secondly, that the great majority of those in Northern Ireland who are opposed to violence—Catholic churches, Protestant churches, trade unions, women—should be mobilised to effect their opposition to the present violence?

LORD WINDLESHAM

My Lords, as I have said on previous occasions, the Government do not believe that the Race Relations Act should be extended to Northern Ireland, or that it could have any useful part to play. But we can agree with the noble Lord that the influence of the moderates of each of the communities in Northern Ireland is extremely important and must be the bedrock for any solution.

LORD BROCKWAY

Yes, my Lords, but will facilities be given for that expression? The strength of feeling is overwhelming, and if the T.V. and Press media were enabled to give expression to it by the organisation of a great united demonstration, it might have a considerable effect in changing the psychology in Northern Ireland.

LORD WINDLESHAM

Yes, my Lords. But the noble Lord must realise that the Northern Ireland Government and Her Majesty's Government are well aware of these and other considerations and have them in mind all the time.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, will the noble Lord give an assurance that the whole programme of reforms which is being carried out by the Stormont Government continues to have the full support of Her Majesty's Government?

LORD WINDLESHAM

Yes, indeed, my Lords. That is certainly so, and substantial progress has been made in the reform programme, particularly in the fields of housing, local government reform and equal employment opportunities.

LORD POPPLEWELL

My Lords, is there not another important factor; that is, the very high percentage of unemployed in Northern Ireland? Can Her Majesty's Government and the Ulster Parliament try their utmost to reduce the number of unemployed?—because with that kind of bad economic background there is a ready breeding ground for emotional outbursts by people who will catch on to anything.

LORD WINDLESHAM

Yes, my Lords, that is certainly so. There is a need to try to introduce new industry to the Province in order to build up the level of employment and reduce the dangers to which the noble Lord has rightly referred.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, in the light of that Answer, may I congratulate the Government on having reversed their policy and on the fact that industrial grants will now be available in Northern Ireland?

VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, can the noble Lord confirm that the unemployment rate in Northern Ireland is connected with the unemployment rate in this country and that he cannot affect the one without affecting the other?

LORD WINDLESHAM

My Lords, that is another and wider question. The noble Viscount ought to put it down for another day.

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