asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for further discussions with political parties in Ireland.

I keep in touch with representatives of the constitutional parties in Northern Ireland, although I have no specific plans at present for formal discussions with them. As I said in my reply to a question by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) on 12 May 1983, I am also happy to explain Government policy to representatives of constitutional parties from the Republic of Ireland and to hear their views.

When will the Government resort to common sense and try to organise a constitutional conference of political representatives on an all-Ireland basis, along the lines of the Lancaster House conference on Zimbabwe, to work out a new constitution for an independent, united Ireland so that the people of Ireland can decide their own destiny without British interference?

I regard such questions as being about as mischievous as they can possibly be.