§ Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the terms of reference for the proposed review of parades and marches in Northern Ireland. [39936]
§ Sir Patrick MayhewThe review of parades and marches in Northern Ireland which I announced in the House on 15 July will have the following terms of reference
To review, in the light of evidence received from any interested party and having regard to the particular experience of 1996, the current arrangements for handling public processions and open-air public meetings and associated public order issues in Northern Ireland, includingthe adequacy of the current legal provisions, and in particular the adequacy of the statutory criteria used in making decisions on public processions and open-air public meetingsthe powers and responsibilities of the Secretary of State, police and othersthe possible need for new machinery, both formal and informal, to play a part in determining whether and how certain public processions and open-air public meetings should take placethe possible role for and composition of Codes of Practice for organisers of and participants in public processions and open-air public meetingsand to make recommendations by the end of January 1997.The review will begin as soon as possible. I hope to announce the names of those conducting the review shortly.