Further Disqualification for Membership of Assembly

Part of Orders of the Day — Northern Ireland Bill – in the House of Commons at 8:45 pm on 29 June 1982.

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Photo of Mr Nicholas Scott Mr Nicholas Scott , Kensington and Chelsea Chelsea 8:45, 29 June 1982

The hon. Gentleman knows the answer to that. The council will continue and I am sure that in future it will do useful work.

The House has already debated the White Paper, upon which the Bill is based in many ways. We expect that if a parliamentary body comes into existence arrangements will be made for Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to participate, if they wish, alongside Members of that Parliament. That may be an important new means of developing close and more beneficial practical cooperation between the two parts of Ireland as well as between the United Kingdom Parliament and the Dail. Benefits have come from such co-operation in the past and I hope that new benefits will come in the future. That in no way calls into question the constitutional position of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom, or arouses any of the fears about ambiguity or ambivalence mentioned by the right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr. Powell). Therefore, I cannot advise the House to approve the new clause when it is put to the test in a few moments, as he promised.