Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations applied to hold meetings in Trafalgar Square, London on 18 July; in what order the applications were received; which organisation held a meeting on 18 July at Trafalgar Square; and if he will make a statement. [92939]
§ Mr. Alan Howarth[holding answer 26 July 1999]: The Turkish Cypriot Network (TCN) and the National Federation of Greek Cypriots (NFGC) made requests by telephone some time ago to use Trafalgar Square on 18 July and the NFGC by letter on 4 January. Both organisations were advised that the normal practice is to consider applications no more than 3 months in advance and that they should re-apply at that time.
The TCN applied to hold a party and were invited on 20 April to submit details of their intentions: these were submitted on 30 April and permission was refused on 7 May since the proposed celebrations were inappropriate to and out of scale with Trafalgar Square. On 3 May the NFGC sent by facsimile a copy of a letter dated 18 April seeking approval to hold a rally in Trafalgar Square with speeches; similar rallies have been held in Trafalgar Square by this group for a number of years.
The TCN submitted a revised proposal on 12 May. Two other requests to use Trafalgar Square on 18 July were made during this period, but no details were given and no reply received to the Department's request for further information.
246WMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's judgment was that the proposal from the NFGC of 7 May was the first which constituted an application for an event suitable for Trafalgar Square and he noted that such an event had taken place in previous years: this application therefore received consent. The TCN were invited to consider alternative venues for their event. A march from Marble Arch to Belgrave Square, which we understand TCN attended, was held by the British Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations on 18 July.