§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the 656W discussion by the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference of the voting rights of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Tom KingBefore the meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference on 17 June, the Irish Government put forward proposals concerning the voting rights of certain Northern Ireland residents in some Northern Ireland elections. The position of those voters (both British and Irish citizens) who may vote at parliamentary and European elections but not at local government or Northern Ireland Assembly elections, was subsequently discussed at that meeting. The United Kingdom representatives confirmed the Government's view that the provisions governing the franchise for parliamentary elections throughout the United Kingdom should also be applied to local government elections in Northern Ireland, as they are in Great Britain, and to elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly; and they stated their intention of taking appropriate legislative action.