TNAG-1297-FCO40-1652-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 224

NORTHERN IRELAND

43. This Paper relates to the United Kingdom generally, but a special problem arises in relation to Northern Ireland, by reason of the limitations on the powers of the Northern Ireland Parliament. Section 4 of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 prevents that Parliament from legislating in respect of Treaties, even though the subject is one on which it is empowered to legislate for domestic purposes. There would be a number of matters of this kind requiring legislation which would more appropri- ately be dealt with by the Northern Ireland Parliament than by the United Kingdom Parliament, e.g. in the field of social security; to make this possible new enabling provisions would have to be enacted to over- come the restrictions on the powers of the Northern Ireland Parliament.

(322938) Dd. 126779 K80 5/67 St.S

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