The British government has unveiled its plan for the further reduction of security measures in the North, in the wake of recent political developments. In the coming months two more detention centres at Gough barracks in Armagh, and Strand Road in Derry are set to close. The strategy envisages further troop reductions and a review of the use of plastic bullets. Sinn Fein described the plan as "vague waffle", which fell far short of what was expected by nationalists and republicans.
The British government has said only five Loyalist Volunteer Force remand prisoners will be left inside the North's top security Maze Prison over Christmas and the millennium. The Northern Secretary Peter Mandelson said he had decided to extend the annual holiday parole to cover all 139 convicted republican and loyalist paramilitary prisoners. He said this was in recognition of, what he called, the remarkable political progress which has been made over recent weeks and as a confidence building measure. The five LVF members are on remand awaiting trial and do not qualify for the holiday parole.
The Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson, met Orangemen in Portadown in another attempt to end the dispute over the Drumcree parade. Mr Mandelson's spokesman said the visit was a private one. The meeting has been welcomed by the North's First Minister, David Trimble who said the parades impasse was a running sore that needed to be dealt with.
In a separate development, the Speaker of the British House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd, has said that MPs will have to debate a Government proposal to allow the two Sinn Fein MPs to use the House's facilities without taking the oath of loyalty to Queen Elizabeth. Miss Boothroyd made it clear that members, and not ministers, would decide on the proposal. She made her comments in a letter to the DUP leader, the Reverend Ian Paisley, who has been critical of the proposal to allow Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness to use the facilities without taking their seats.
