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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:Political Structures Sub-Committee
  4. Session: 1992-06-10 09:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE_FROM

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.

Political Structures Sub-Committee

Editor's Note: This sub-Committee was initially commissioned by the Plenary to discuss proposals for new political structures in Northern Ireland. By 26 May, the Talks have run into difficulty and the Business Committee sets a fresh agenda and terms of reference for the sub-Committee. It is asked to focus on the impasse in the Talks, and it is agreed that minutes will not be taken or papers circulated beyond the membership of the sub-Committee and the Party Leaders. As there appears to be continuity within the Committee rather than a complete reconstitution, we model the sessions from 27 May as being part of the same sub-Committee. Records for this later period are, however, more scarce since formal minutes were no longer produced.

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Document introduced in:

Session 14250: 1992-06-10 09:00:00

Meetings of the Sub-Committee in two Sub-Groups continue.

Document View (with components):

Sub-Committee Report

Shown with amendment 'None' (e899392)

There are 0 proposed amendments related to this document on which decisions have not been taken.

(10 June 1992)

DRAFT [-e899391]

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SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT

1. The sub-Committee met on 5 June and adjourned as a mark of respect to the victims of the coach crash the evening before.

2. It met again on 8, 9 and 10 June.

3. The sub-[+e899391]Committee continued, as mandated by plenary on foot of the 1 June report of the sub-Committee established on 26 May,[+e899391] to work towards to t[-e899391]he greatest possible degree of common ground on new political institutions for Northern Ireland. What plenary did on that occasion was to: [+e899391]

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"- author[+e899391], by addressing [-e899391]ise the [+e899391]sub-Committee, buil[+e899391]es inclu[-e899391]ding on [+e899391]the Common Themes and Common Principles documents and[+e899391]ose listed in paragraph 5 of[-e899391] the provisional report of the Structures sub-Committee (dated 13 May), to[+e899391] work towards the greatest possible degree of common ground on new political institutions for Northern Ireland, by addressing issues including tho[+e899391]hich recogni[-e899391]se liste[+e899391]d in paragraph 5 of that report, recognising[+e899391] that each p[+e899391]P[-e899391]arty may wish to reserve its position on particular points [+e899391]

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- acknowledge that in order to secure a generally acceptable outcome from the Talks process it will be necessar[+e899391]; and b[-e899391]y to en[+e899391]sur[+e899391]e that the outcom[+e899391]e, ta[+e899391]ken as a whole, g[+e899391]ives expressio[+e899391]n to the identities of both main parts of the Northern Ireland community and would attract the widest possible de[+e899391]gree of[+e899391] allegiance and suppor[+e899391]t and [+e899391]

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- further ackn[+e899391]owledge that the[+e899391] course of discussio[+e899391]ns during Strands II and III may make it appropriate in the view o[+e899391]f one party or another to propose that relevant matters [+e899391]in St[+e899391]rand I should be reviewed." [+e899391]

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4. It [+e899391]may[+e899391] be convenient to rec[+e899391]all at this poi[+e899391]nt that the sub-Committee which reporte[+e899391]d on 13 May had noted certain areas where, although there was broad agreement in principle (some reflected in[+e899391]expand[-e899391] the Common Themes p[+e899391]ape[+e899391]r), further d[+e899391]et[+e899391]ailed con[+e899391]sideration would be necessary once the broad shape[+e899391] of the key institutional arrangements was [+e899391]clear. These included: [+e899391]

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"(a) an acknowledgement, consistent with paragraph 2 of the C[+e899391]ommon Themes paper, that the United Kin[+e899391]gdom Gove[+e899391]rnment and Parliament w[+e899391]ould co[+e899391]ntinue to have sovereign responsibility for all matters for which responsibility was not transferre[+e899391]d to any new pol[+e899391]itical institutions in Northern Irelan[+e899391]d; [+e899391]

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(b) an acknowledgem[+e899391]ent that the Secretary of State would cont[+e899391]inue to be wholly accountable to Parliament at Westminster [+e899391]for the exerc[+e899391]is[+e899391]e of any powers an[+e899391]d responsibilities which he would reta[+e899391]in,[+e899391] coupled wi[+e899391]th a general concern (expressed in particular by the UUP and DUP) to ensure appropriate Parliamentary scrutiny of and accountability for the exercise by the Secretary of State of those powers and responsibilities; [+e899391]

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(c) the need to make ar[+e899391]e Possible Outline F[-e899391]range[+e899391]ments to secure a local political input to the exercise of those powers and responsibilities, especially in respect of security matters (if they continued to be the responsibility of HMG); [+e899391]

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(d) the need to define a clea[+e899391]work fo[-e899391]r relationship between any [+e899391]new political institutions in Northern Ireland and EC institutions; [+e899391]

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(e) what should be the [+e899391]precise nature and role of the Assembly and any Committees thereof, including in respect of legislation;[+e899391]oduced at 0045 on 3 June.[-e899391]

(f) a requirement for arrangements for expenditure levels in Northern Ireland, allocating resources and en[+e899391]4. One [-e899391]suring a strong role for the Assem[+e899391]bly in the scrutiny of budgetary proposals, together with a consideration of the extent, if any, to which any new political institutions might have revenue[+e899391]-raisin[+e899391]g powe[+e899391]rs; and [+e899391]

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(g) machinery t[+e899391]o deal with and correct grievances and to entrench individ[+e899391]ual and community rights, including the [+e899391]possibility[+e899391] of a Bill of Righ[+e899391]ts." [+e899391]

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5. T[+e899391]he sub-[+e899391]Committee sought to [+e899391]confirm and expand the a[+e899391]side[-e899391]reas of common groun[+e899391]d identified in [+e899391]the Possible Outline Framework for new political institutions in Northern Irel[+e899391]and produced at 0045 on 3 June. It [+e899391]was able to expand in a number of minor respects the area of common ground it represented. A revised version is attached as Annex A[+e899391]. [[-e899391]The UDUP, UUP and Alliance Party agreed that executive and legislative responsibilities in respect of transferred matters should be exercised through an elected Assembly, though they were prepared to contemplate a [+e899391]at sub-g[-e899391]role for a separately-elected Panel in certain circ[+e899391]umstances. The SDLP reserved its [+e899391]position on the source of the authority of Heads of Departments and their relationship with Departmental Committees; and on the arrangements for legislation in the transferred field. [+e899391]

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6. The sub-Committee[+e899391] also agreed a paper (Annex B)[+e899391], subject to certain reservations, describing the elements of a Code of Practice setting out[+e899391]which indicated possible[-e899391] roles and responsibilities for Departments, Assembly Committees and the Assembly as a whole. In doing so it took account of two[+e899391]; and considered[-e899391] papers from the Government on the machinery of government in Northern Irel[+e899391]Team [-e899391]and and public appointments procedures. It also noted a paper from the Government Team (Annex C)[+e899391]from each Party[-e899391] on possible measures for ensuring an appropriate, fair and significant role for all main political traditions in Northern Ireland. Related papers on one aspect of this topic tabled by each of the four parties are at Annexes C1-C4[+e899391]][-e899391].

7. T[+e899391]5. Anot[-e899391]her[-e899391] sub-Committee[+e899391]group[-e899391] achieved a considerable measure of agreement in respect of the relationship between any new political institutions in Northern Ireland and the Westminster Parliament, and the UK Government system more generally; [[-e899391]and the future [-e899391]relationship with EC institutions][-e899391]. R[+e899391]Its r[-e899391]eport[[-e899391]s on these subjects are][-e899391] at Annexes D and E[+e899391]tached[-e899391].

8[+e899391]6[-e899391]. The Parties represented on the sub-Committee also received, but did not collectively consider, discussion papers on finance, human rights, a Bill of Rights and cultural expression and diversity.[+e899391]the following subjects:[-e899391]

9. In submitting[+e899391](a) from[-e899391] their report to plenary the members of the sub-Committee wish to express their thanks to Mr Hanley, Mr Ch[+e899391] Government Team: [-e899391]

[-e899391]

Finance [-e899391]

Human Rights [-e899391]

[-e899391]

(b) from the UUP: [-e899391]

[-e899391]

B[-e899391]ilcot and Mr Fel[+e899391]l for their chairmanship of the sub-Committee's deliberations, to the officials and other staff who supported the sub-Committee and to the delegates[+e899391]of Rights [-e899391]

Cultural Expression[-e899391] and the party delegations more widely for[+e899391]Diversity [-e899391]

[-e899391]

(c) from[-e899391] the hard work they put in[+e899391]SDLP: [-e899391]

[-e899391]

Bill of Rights[-e899391].

Decisions yet to be taken

None

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