§ Lord Houghton of Sowerbyasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what grounds they dissuaded the Pope from including Northern Ireland in his pastoral visit to the United Kingdom in May.
§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Carrington)The Pope was invited to pay a pastoral visit to the Roman Catholic community in Britain by the Roman Catholic hierarchies in England and Wales, and in Scotland. Her Majesty's Government were not involved in these arrangements. I understand that the hierarchies did not suggest to the Pope that he should also visit Northern Ireland.