Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) discussions and (b) correspondence she has had with the Parades Commission on summer parades in North Belfast since 11 July 2014.

In the period since 11 July 2014 I have had a meeting with the Chair of the Parades Commission and a telephone conversation with other Commission members. These conversations formed part of a wider range of discussions and meetings I have had with political parties and other key parading stakeholders on whether to establish a new initiative to look at parading issues in North Belfast.

In discussion I was keen to reassure members of the Commission that in considering any such proposal a key guiding principle would be my determination that it must not undermine the role or remit of the Commission as the responsible, lawful authority. I have had no written correspondence with the Commission since 11 July this year.