§ Ms MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the costs to the Government of the peace process including(a) cost of printing and distributing "Frameworks for the Future", (b) the estimated costs of the on-going talks (c) the estimated cost of referendums and (d) the estimated costs of creating and running a Northern Ireland Assembly.
§ Mr. AncramOn the cost of printing and distribution of "Frameworks for the Future", I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 2 March,Official Report, column 683.
The costs of on-going talks with Northern Ireland political representatives and the Irish Government have been met from existing departmental running costs and it is not possible to isolate the costs of this particular activity.
It will only be possible to offer reliable estimates on the cost of a referendums and of creating and running an assembly when the details of the arrangements have been discussed and agreed with the relevant Northern Ireland parties.