WESTM NSTER HAUL
Page 7
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It cannot be a life of unalloyed delight being a Minister or a Member of Parliament for Northern Ireland. All to often your time is taken up talking about death and disaster, with few glimpses of light on the horizon.
So it Was little wonder that Ulster MPs were peeved when they learned that a reasonably optimistic debate — about money to be spent on the Province — would not start until lOpm, the time when Commons business usually ends.
Despite what the uncharitable might describe as a "shambles", Ministers stuck to their guns, and Hugh Rossi, the Northern Ireland Minister of State, had to wait until the appointed hour before he was able to explain to a handful of MPs what money Ulster would be setting. Altogether it came to £1842 m, with most services getting more than they did last year. Roads, for instance, will have £94m, a rise of nearly £1Im, with about £7m of the extra going on new public roads and bridges and £2m on road improvement.
Not every Ulster MP was pleased with this generosity — they believe it makes the Province too dependant upon Westminster — while one nonIrishman, Tam Dalyell, who sits for West Lothian, was positively put out about the way some public money is being spent.
His doubts centre on the De Lorean car scheme, for he represents the huge British Leyland truck and tractor division at Bathgate, which could do with more money.
Several of his constituents had asked how the Government could find money for a project in Northern Ireland when it was difficult to get capital investment for units of British Leyland that were in the black and had a very good export record.
Nor was the Rev Ian Paisley full of joy. He had a few words to say about the Pope — baited into it by political foe Gerry Fitt — but it was the way his homeland is being run that roused his displeasure. And it was not all highpowered stuff either.
For instance he spoke of grave concern about the Folk and Transport Museum. Some of the vehicles that had been donated were rotting away in a field, and Mr Paisley wanted the Government to investigate and say what was happening at the Museum.