HC Deb 25 June 1999 vol 333 c470W
Mr. Moss

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is her policy that Sinn Fein should be allowed to hold an executive position in the Assembly before the IRA has started decommissioning weapons. [87901]

Marjorie Mowlam

The Government's policy is to implement the Belfast Agreement in full. The Agreement requires the establishment of an Executive Committee on a proportionate basis dependent on the number of seats each party has in the Assembly. The Agreement also commits all parties to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations and to use whatever influence they may have to achieve decommissioning of all paramilitary arms within two years of the referendum and in the context of the implementation of the overall settlement. Decommissioning, though not a prior precondition to the establishment of the Executive, is a requirement of the Agreement. In order to achieve the successful implementation of the Agreement, everyone must be confident that all aspects will be implemented.