§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are aware of any moves to encourage the "twinning" of towns or districts in Britain with their counterparts in Ireland: and whether there are ways in which they might facilitate such a process.
§ Baroness YoungWe recognise that town or district twinning is a positive way of fostering international understanding and encourage and assist such twinnings whenever possible.
There are only two known twinnings so far between towns in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. However, the Joint Twinning Committee of the Local Authority Associations of Great Britain, which facilitates such links and whose secretariat is housed at the British Council in London. are always glad to consider applications from United Kingdom municipalities for travel grants, to explore the possibilities for twinning in the Republic. They are also ready to publicise expressions of interest from at home or abroad in their twice-yearly magazine, which goes out to some 1,200 twinning organisations in the United Kingdom