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  1. Overview: Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992
  2. Full Record: Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992
  3. Committee:British-Unionist Talks
  4. Session: 1991-05-22 14:40:00
  5. Event type: CREATE

Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992

WORK IN PROGRESS - IN THE FINAL STAGES OF EDITING A series of talks launched by Peter Brooke, Secretary of State for Northern in Ireland, which began in April 1991, and were carried on intermittently by Brooke and his successor, Patrick Mayhew, until November 1992.

British-Unionist Talks

Meetings between the British Government, the UUP and the DUP. Dates of meetings created from source material, but records of discussions not currently available to us.

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Document introduced in:

Session 12567: 1991-05-22 14:40:00

Bilateral Meeting held with the Unionist Parties in Parliament Buildings at 14:40 on 22 May 1991

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Conclusions of the Meeting with the Joint Unionist Delegation on 22 May 1440

There is 1 proposed amendment related to this document on which a decision has not been taken.

Conclusions of the Meeting with the Joint Unionist Delegation on 22 May 1440

Venue for substantive meetings of Strand 2

The substantive meetings of Strand 2 should be held in Parliament Buildings. This was on grounds of practicality, physical resources, physical security, arrangements for the media and in terms of continuity from one strand to another.

Terms of Reference/Standing Orders of the Independent Chairman (TOR/50)

The role of the Chairman

The role of the Chairman should be that of a facilitator or an independent presiding officer, ensuring fair treatment for all participants. They should not assume the role of arbitrator. They would be responsible for the pace of proceedings though would not usurp the Secretary of State's decision of when to move from strand two to strand three.

The Chairman might also produce a final report and be responsible for producing an aide-memoire of the various meetings.

Staffing for the Chairman

The Chairman might need a private secretary. This role would provide continuity of support wherever the talks take place.

Standing Orders for the Chairman

The Chairman should have authority to settle procedural questions, and to convene, postpone and adjourn the meetings (paragraphs 7 and 12 of the Unionist TOR).

It would be better not to have too many rules, but some indication on the length of contributions might be helpful which the Chairman could invoke if necessary.

Confidentiality

There should be no press or public comment by or on behalf of the chairman.

Minutes

The chairman should ensure that suitable minutes are kept of each meeting and that these minutes should be distributed to those entitled to receive them. Minutes of plenaries would go to everyone involved but the minutes of bilaterals only to those participating in them. There might be a requirement to agree minutes at the next meeting, as also happened in the Assembly. In the case of other bilaterals the participants should agree what record they would keep, as these meetings fell outside the scope of the Talks Secretariat and might take place in a fairly unstructured way.

The chairman should be restricted to meeting participating delegations only.

Agenda

Initial sessions would comprise opening statements and an opportunity for a certain amount of cross-questioning.

The setting of the agenda should be delegated to a sub-committee under the Minister of State.

Decisions yet to be taken

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