HC Deb 14 February 2001 vol 363 cc143-4W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is the(a) policy and (b) practice of Her Majesty's Government to fly the flag of the country of a visiting Head of State (i) over and (ii) on a flag pole within, the precincts of a building which is being visited by a Head of State (1) officially, (2) privately and (3) who is temporarily resident in Northern Ireland. [150307]

Dr. Reid

The Government's policy and practice is to comply with the Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 which state that where a Government building is visited by a foreign Head of State during an official visit, the flag of that Head of State's country may be flown in addition to the Union flag, where a second flag pole makes this possible.