§ Lord Reayasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress has been made in preparation for elections in Northern Ireland leading to all-party negotiations on 10th June.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Baroness Denton of Wakefield)My right honourable and learned friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has today published the draft of a Northern Ireland (Entry into Negotiations, Etc.) Bill, to be introduced in another place tomorrow. In parallel, following consultations with the political parties on the proposals in the consultation paper of 15th March, he has published as Command Paper 3232 the best judgment of the British and Irish Governments on the most suitable and broadly acceptable ground rules for the negotiations starting on 10th June 1996.