Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many district councils have been requested by the Department of the Environment to remove signs which express opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement; why this form of expression is being denied; what has been the cost of this work by the Department; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NeedhamTen district councils have been requested to remove advertisements being displayed in contravention of the Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973. In exercising its powers under these regulations the Department has regard solely to the suitability of the locations for the display of advertisements and does not take into account the content of the advertisements. It is228W not possible to identify the costs of dealing with particular unauthorised advertisements within the Department's overall action on such advertisements.