Following a meeting today with senior PSNI officers, Ulster Unionist Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, is calling on the Secretary of State to clarify her statement in the House of Commons this week, when Theresa Villiers MP suggested she had called an unprecedented meeting of the PSNI, Parades Commission and Justice Minister to discuss parading.
Mr Nesbitt said:
“I asked the PSNI delegation, which was led by ACC Kerr, about the meeting the Secretary of State referred to in an answer to a question from former Secretary of State, Peter Hain MP. I was told that as far as the police are concerned, such multi-agency meetings were commonplace. Mrs Villiers told the Commons of the meeting she chaired with the PSNI, Parades Commission and Justice Minister that “As far I am aware, that has never happened before”.
“This sort of mixed messaging is far from helpful. Clarity is required, not least in an atmosphere where people are rightly questioning when the Parades Commission made its mind up over the return parade passing the Ardoyne Shops on the 12th of July. I stress the question is when the Commission made up its mind, not when it announced its determination.”
NOTE TO EDITORS:
House of Commons Hansard
Mrs Villiers:
I got the Northern Ireland Justice Minister, the PSNI and the Parades Commission around the table to talk about these issues. As far I am aware, that has never happened before. All of that took place in the months running up to 12 July