§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has received from the Northern Ireland police authority, the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and elsewhere, to seek to prevent any bans or re-routeing of traditional parades from becoming a vehicle of disorder.
§ Mr. Tom King[pursuant to his reply, 27 March 1986, c. 553]: Representations are made to me on this topic from time to time. It is the responsibility for the RUC alone to decide whether to impose conditions such as re-routeing particular parades and marches and to consider the public order implications of such decisions. No one is better placed than the police to make such judgments. In deciding whether to use my power to prohibit a public procession, the likely impact on public order is among the factors which I consider and on which I am advised by the RUC.