§ 18. Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will seek powers to hold a referendum to determine the extent to which the people living in different parts of Northern Ireland would prefer changes to be made in the border between the Province and the Republic of Ireland.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsNo. A referendum of the kind suggested would be inconsistent with section 1 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973, which provides that in no event will Northern Ireland, or any part of it, cease to be part of the United Kingdom without the consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland.