Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Andrew MacKay (Conservative). It was answered on Wednesday, 13 July 2005 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Devolved Government

Question: Although it must be right for the Secretary of State to make it absolutely clear that parties associated with violence and criminality cannot play a part in devolved Administration in the Province, does he accept that they cannot hold the democratic process to ransom and that if they do not completely renounce violence and criminality there has to be a point at which we proceed with devolved Administration without them?

Answer: No individual party and especially no individual group can hold anybody to ransom in Northern Ireland—certainly not the Secretary of State or this Government. We need to find a way forward. We await the statement that has been promised by the IRA, and it needs to be crystal clear that paramilitary activity and criminality has been banished and that that is verifiable, so that we all know that what has been promised—if it is promised—is delivered on the ground.

Secondary information