Decision on parades likely after election

THE consultation process on parades will not yield results this side of a general election, British government sources have indicated.

The process was set up following recommendations in the North Report which called for a commission with powers to ban controversial parades.

But Northern Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew recently set up a parades commission which lacks formal legislative powers.

The consultation on the commission's powers officially ended on March 31st and it was hoped a decision would be published before May 1st.

But a spokesman at the Northern Ireland Office said more than 100 submissions had been made and these would have to be studied before a decision could be made.