Northern Ireland Committee

HC Deb 22 February 1996 vol 272 cc243-4W

14. Rev. Martin Smyth

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for a greater use of the Northern Ireland Committee. [15034]

Sir Patrick Mayhew

We are considering proposals that the procedures and remit of the Northern Ireland Committee should be developed in line with those of the Scottish and Welsh Grand Committees; but this could be done only after consultation with the Northern Ireland parties and any such arrangements would need to be reviewed if there were agreement leading to the establishment of new locally-accountable institutions in Northern Ireland.