PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE
RELATING TO THE REPORT
WEDNESDAY 1 JULY 1998
Members present:
Mr Peter Brooke, in the Chair
| Mr Roy Beggs | Mr Andrew Hunter
|
| Mr Desmond Browne | Mr Ken Livingstone
|
| Mr Jeffrey Donaldson |
Mr Martin Salter |
| Mr John Grogan |
|
The Committee deliberated.
Mr Roy Beggs, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson and Mr Andrew
Hunter declared a non-pecuniary interest as members of the Orange
Order in relation to the inquiry into the Composition, Recruitment
and Training of the RUC.
The Committee further deliberated.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 8 July at a quarter
to Four o'clock.
WEDNESDAY 8 JULY 1998
Members present:
Mr Peter Brooke, in the Chair
| Mr Roy Beggs | Mr John Grogan
|
| Mr Desmond Browne | Mr Stephen Hesford
|
| Mr Jeffrey Donaldson |
|
| Mr Andrew Hunter | Mr Peter Robinson
|
| Mr Ken Livingstone |
Mr Martin Salter |
| Mr Tony McWalter |
|
The Committee deliberated.
Draft Report (Composition, Recruitment and Training
of the RUC), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the Report
be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Paragraphs 1 to 43 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 44 read, as follows:
"Flying the flag on 12 July is regarded by many
as a provocation and links the RUC with one part of the community
in Northern Ireland. As Northern Ireland is an integral part
of the United Kingdom, the Union Flag is the appropriate flag
to be flown over police stations, but the special celebrations
of 12 July are a case apart. The flying of the Union Flag on 12
July outside police stations is regarded as sectarian by many
and should cease."
Amendment proposed in line 4, to leave out the words
"but the special celebrations of 12 July are a case apart.
The flying of the Union Flag on 12 July outside police stations
is
regarded as sectarian by many and should cease."
— (Mr Andrew Hunter).
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The Committee divided.
| Ayes, 4 | Noes, 6
|
| |
| Mr Roy Beggs | Mr Desmond Browne
|
| Mr Jeffrey Donaldson |
Mr John Grogan |
| Mr Andrew Hunter | Mr Stephen Hesford
|
| Mr Peter Robinson | Mr Ken Livingstone
|
| Mr Tony McWalter
|
| Mr Martin Salter
|
Question put, that the paragraph stand part of the
Report.
The Committee divided.
| Ayes, 6 | Noes, 4
|
| |
| Mr Desmond Browne | Mr Roy Beggs
|
| Mr John Grogan | Mr Jeffrey Donaldson
|
| Mr Stephen Hesford |
Mr Andrew Hunter |
| Mr Ken Livingstone |
Mr Peter Robinson |
| Mr Tony McWalter |
|
| Mr Martin Salter |
|
Paragraphs 45 to 50 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 51 read, as follows:
"There is a difficult balance to be struck between
the right to belong to a legal association which represents cultural
and political values that citizens (including police officers)
are entitled to cherish and the need to be seen to be rigorously
impartial. The rights of police officers are already limited:
they may not be members of a trade union. Police officers in England
and Wales will soon be invited to declare whether they are Freemasons
under a voluntary scheme to be introduced by the Home Office.
If the voluntary scheme does not work, the Government will consider
imposing registration compulsorily. Membership of organisations
such as the loyal orders, the Ancient Order of Hibernians or other
exclusive groups who generally prohibit membership on religious
grounds is incompatible with membership of a public service organisation,
especially the RUC. New recruits to the RUC should not be permitted
to be members of such organisations. Officers who already belong
to them should register their membership privately with the management
of the RUC so that complaints about any bias can be seen to be
fairly assessed."
Amendment proposed in line 7, to leave out from the
words "Membership of organisations" to the end
of the paragraph and to add the words "Officers
(including new recruits) who belong to organisations such as the
loyal orders, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, or other exclusive
groups who generally prohibit membership on religious grounds,
should register their membership privately with the management
of the RUC so that complaints about any bias can be seen to be
fairly assessed." — (Mr Andrew Hunter).
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The Committee divided.
| Ayes, 4 | Noes, 6
|
| |
| Mr Roy Beggs | Mr Desmond Browne
|
| Mr Jeffrey Donaldson |
Mr John Grogan |
| Mr Andrew Hunter | Mr Stephen Hesford
|
| Mr Peter Robinson | Mr Ken Livingstone
|
| Mr Tony McWalter
|
| Mr Martin Salter
|
Question put, That the paragraph stand part of the
Report.
The Committee divided.
| Ayes, 6 | Noes, 4
|
| |
| Mr Desmond Browne | Mr Roy Beggs
|
| Mr John Grogan | Mr Jeffrey Donaldson
|
| Mr Stephen Hesford |
Mr Andrew Hunter |
| Mr Ken Livingstone |
Mr Peter Robinson |
| Mr Tony McWalter |
|
| Mr Martin Salter |
|
Paragraphs 52 to 114 read and agreed to.
Annex agreed to.
Resolved, That the Report
be the Third Report of the Committee to the House.
Ordered, That the Chairman
do make the Report to the House.
Ordered, That the provisions
of Standing Order No. 134 (Select Committees (reports)) be applied
to the Report.
Several papers were ordered to be appended to the
Minutes of Evidence.
Ordered, That the Appendices
to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee be reported
to the House. — (The Chairman).
[Adjourned till Wednesday 15 July at a quarter to
Four o'clock.
| 
