§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the proposals on the draft Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 and the Flags and Emblems (Display) Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 put forward by the Irish side of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference at its meeting in Belfast on 8 December 1986; and what response was made by the British side.
§ Mr. Tom King[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1987, c. 385–86]: At the meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference on 8 December the Irish expressed views on some aspects of the proposal for a draft public order order which we published on 1 December. We took account of those views and of many others in our decision to lay the draft public order order before the House. I do not believe it would be appropriate to go beyond the joint statement issued after the meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference in detailing the Irish Government's comments. But the Irish Government publicly welcomed the proposal for the draft public order order.