asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he proposes to take to agree the boundary between the continental shelves of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

I refer the right hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's written reply of 21st February 1977 to a Question from the hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet)—[Vol. 926, c. 414.] In this he stated that the Government of the Republic of Ireland had been informed that Her Majesty's Government accept the Irish proposal to refer the delimitation of the Continental Shelf to an independent settlement disputes procedure through some form of third party settlement of a judicial nature, subject to reaching agreement with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on the chosen tribunal, its composition, its terms of reference and other related matters.Further contacts at official level have taken place but these important matters remain to be settled.