Religious Persons

David Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions in the last 12 months (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have met leaders of (i) the Presbyterian Church, (ii) the Roman Catholic Church, (iii) the Church of Ireland, (iv) the Methodist Church, (v) the Baptist Union of Ireland, (vi) the Free Presbyterian Church, (vii) the Elim Pentecostal Church, (viii) the Reformed Presbyterian Church (ix) the Congregational Union of Ireland, (x) the Evangelican Alliance (xi) Evangelical Continuation in Northern Ireland and (xi) the Caleb Foundation.

Mr. Hain
I have met church leaders on numerous occasions as have my Ministers in my Department. Ministers and civil servants meet a large number of people and groups in the course of their official duties. It is not normal practice to disclose the detail of such meetings.