§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will consider making representations to Pope Paul about the possibility of liberalising the attitude of the Irish Roman Catholic Church towards the religious education of the children of mixed marriages in Northern Ireland as a contribution towards better community relations.
§ Mr. KershawNo. While I fully sympathise with the thought that everything possible should be done to help promote better community relations in Northern Ireland, these matters are better discussed between churchmen.
§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list those individuals and bodies to whom a copy of the Green Paper on Northern Ireland has been sent, indicating those who received 55W it in advance of 12 noon on 30th October. 1972.
§ Mr. KershawThe primary responsibility for distribution of the paper for discussion lay with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. So far as the responsibilities of my Department are concerned, after consultation with my right hon. Friend a copy of the paper was handed in advance, in confidence and as a courtesy, both to Mr. Lynch in Dublin and to the Irish Ambassador in London. Our Embassies and High Commissions overseas received details of the contents of the paper simultaneously with the timing of the publication to enable them to deal in the normal way with enquiries.