Northern Ireland Boundary Commission

HC Deb 07 February 1995 vol 254 cc167-8W

Mr. Trimble

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list the dates on which officials met or telephone members or officials of the Northern Ireland Boundary Commission;

(2) when the officials of the political affairs division first became aware of what became the revised recommendations of the Northern Ireland Boundary Commission.

Mr. Ancram

Having regard to the independence of the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Boundary Commission, contact has been confined to Northern Ireland Office officials with specific responsibility for the commission's financial accountability and resources. and has been minimal.

The deputy chairman of the boundary commission wrote to the Secretary of State on 16 January to advise him of the revised recommendations. That letter was copied to appropriate officials within the Department and included senior members of the political affairs division.