Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress she has made on establishing a separate mediation intervention group in relation to the Ardoyne parades issue.

On 7 October 2014, I announced proposals and published Terms of Reference for a panel on Parading to examine the parading impasse at Twaddell/Ardoyne.

My proposals were clear that mediation should be an essential ingredient of the process. In addition, one of the key principles which underpinned the Terms of Reference was that in order for it to be successful, the process needed to be able to engage effectively across the community.

It became apparent that there was insufficient support for the panel, including from amongst some of those most directly involved in the dispute. I therefore decided, on balance, that it would not be right to go ahead with establishing the panel.

I remain committed to finding a way forward that can help resolve the impasse and encourage others to do the same.