DEATH OF SIR ROBERT COOPER CBE

Early day motion 184, tabled 25 November 2004 by Lembit Öpik (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 17 members.

That this House notes with the deepest regret the death on 16th November of Sir Robert Cooper CBE who undertook a wide range of public duties in Northern Ireland including being a founder member of the Alliance Party, its joint Political Chairman, West Belfast member of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1973 and to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975, a participant in the Sunningdale talks and Minister of Manpower Services in the power sharing executive; further notes that he was Chairman of the Fair Employment Agency for Northern Ireland from 1976 to 1989, Chairman of the Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland from 1990 until 1999 and was also a member of the Secretary of State's Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights from 1976 to 1999, received a knighthood for services to equal opportunities in 1998 and that he also served as the Chairman of the Integrated Education Fund, from September 2000 to July 2004 where he took over the development campaign to increase the number of integrated school places available to children in Northern Ireland and was also a Governor of Lagan Integrated College which both his children attended; and believes that his years of selfless political and public service will be remembered with fondness and gratitude by many, regardless of their political affiliations.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 9, Labour 6, Conservative 1, Labour/Co-operative 1.