Vol. 445 No. 9
227 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Health the number of occasions on which he has visited Northern Ireland since the Government was formed; the date, venue and purpose of each visit; and the same information in relation to the Minister or Ministers of State, if any, at his Department. [1538/94]
Since the Government was formed, I have visited Northern Ireland on two occasions in my official capacity. The first visit took place on 14 June 1993 when I met my then opposite number, Lord Arran, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office with responsibility for Health. This meeting was held in Hillsborough Castle. The second visit took place on 25 April 1994 when I met Baroness Denton who is now the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office with responsibility for Health: this latter meeting was held in Ballymena, Country Antrim and included a visit to the recently opened Antrim Hospital.
Both meetings took place in the context of regular bilateral meetings of health ministers at which North-South health co-operation issues are discussed.
The Minister of State at my Department has not visited Northern Ireland in an official capacity.
