Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Owen Paterson and Paul Farrelly

Wednesday 30th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Lab)]

4. What his policy is on holding further public inquiries into events involving deaths which took place during the troubles in Northern Ireland.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen Paterson)]

I reaffirm the statement made to this House by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 15 June, where he reassured the House that there would be

“no more open-ended and costly inquiries into the past.”—[Official Report, 15 June 2010; Vol. 511, c. 741.]

[Paul Farrelly]

May I, too, congratulate my next-door neighbour from just over the border in Shropshire on his appointment as the Secretary of State? Does he agree that the Saville inquiry, no matter how long it took, marked a watershed in the troubled history of Northern Ireland? While respecting the families’ legitimate rights still to grieve, it is important to look to the future. All the Governments of the past 30 years should be congratulated on their efforts toward reconciliation in Northern Ireland, but will he outline what specific initiatives the new Government will take to secure peace in Northern Ireland?

[Mr Paterson]

I am most grateful for my neighbour’s kind comments. He is absolutely right that Northern Ireland needs to look ahead, but the people of Northern Ireland need to work together, and solutions for dealing with the past and looking ahead must be agreed among those who lead the country at local level. We cannot have solutions being imposed from above.