To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the Northern Ireland political talks due to start in the week commencing 13 October 2014.

It is important for Northern Ireland that its political leaders reach agreement on key issues that currently divide them. The talks that have been convened are a valuable opportunity to support and facilitate that. It is impossible to gauge costs accurately at present, but the benefits of an agreement would enormously outweigh the cost associated with facilitating the talks.