In Northern Ireland, the Provisional IRA have, of late extended their criminal violence from the streets of Belfast and Londonderry, and from the fields of Armagh into the prison cell.

One of their [ Bobby Sands] members has chosen to kill himself—a needless and futile waste of his life. I say "futile", Mr President, because the political status sought by the hunger strikers. will not be granted. The Government's position is clear. Crime is always crime, whatever the motive. Murder is never anything other than murder.

It is argued that the Government has been intransigent. It has not. In the months before the first hunger strike began, last autumn, we implemented a series of justified changes for all prisoners. The conditions in prisons such as the Maze are now as humane as those anywhere in the world. We have respected, and will continue to respect, the views of the European Commission for Human Rights. One is bound to wonder about the motives of those who choose to ignore all we have done.

It is argued that we should take political initiatives in Northern Ireland, We have. [ Humphrey Atkins] The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has done everything in his power to try to build up political institutions acceptable to all sides of the community in the Province. But that community cannot be coerced into accepting such institutions if it does not want them. We are not in the business of replacing one form of instability by another. There can be no short cuts.

Our commitment to Ulster is clear. So long as the majority of the people of Northern Ireland wish to remain part of this Kingdom, that wish will be upheld and defended. However long and hard the road may be, the Government will not flinch from their duty.

We recognise, of course, that our neighbours south of the Border, the Republic of Ireland, are concerned about the situation in the north. That is why over the last year and more we have joined in an effort to improve the relationship between London and Dublin. We both have much to gain from working more closely together.

Above all, we have an over-riding and shared interest in securing peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. If that prize is to be won, the challenge of terrorism must be resisted and turned back.

The challenge will be resisted patiently—for we shall not be provoked into over-reaction. —It will be resisted with scrupulous legality—for any other way lies anarchy. —It will be resisted effectively—for we shall commit whatever resources are necessary to ensure that violence does not succeed.

Mr. Cox.

Will the Prime Minister spend some time today considering how she may be able to salvage something from the ruins of her Northern Irish policy? Is she aware that she has two possible options—first, to seek a meaningful new political initiative or, secondly, to see the continuation of the killings and destruction that have bedevilled that country for so long? Is she telling the House and the world that no matter how many Republicans die as a result of hunger strikes there will be no change in her policy towards Northern Ireland? She must be aware——

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman is taking a long time to ask his question.

The Prime Minister

No one has sought a new political initiative more earnestly than my right hon. Friend [ Humphrey Atkins] the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. He has done everything in his power to try to bring to the Province more responsibility for decisions that affect its future. That initiative undoubtedly failed. We shall continue to search for methods of bringing greater responsibility for decision-making to the people of Northern Ireland but I repeat the guarantee to the people of the Province that as long as the majority wish to stay in the United Kingdom they shall do so. That guarantee must stand. In the meantime we shall do everything possible to have peace and reconciliation with our neighbour the Republic of Ireland, south of the border.