File marked Letters/Patten/Policing. Includes personal notes; letter from Tony Blair, Prime Minister, thanking him for his work on the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland, “I am aware that in your case in particular, your participation exposed you to a degree of unpleasantness which no-one should have to put up with. You have shown enormous integrity and independence and have certainly made an important contribution to Northern Ireland’s future” (13 Sept 1999). Letter from Mo Mowlam on the occasion of her leaving the post of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and arranging to meet up in the New Year if possible (3 Nov 1999); Letter from DJ Watkins, Director, Policing and Security, Northern Ireland Office, Belfast, to Maurice Hayes on the Patten Report: Draft Implementation Plan (20 Mar 2000); Letter from Chris Patten to Maurice Hayes, commenting that most of their recommendations had been accepted by peter Mandelson with the exception of those on local policing boards and designing a new badge for the police service, commenting that he will not be drawn into public debate on the matter (19 Jan 2000); Letter from Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, thanking him for his letter, asking for any recommendations he may have for the Oversight Commissioner. He expresses disappointment of the response from Nationalist politicians and the Catholic bishops but he hopes that his officials will meet with them shortly (8 Feb 2000); Letter from Anthony M Wilson, author of “Saint Patrick’s Town”, congratulating him on his book “Black Puddings with Slim”, which he found very interesting (18 Dec 1996); Letter from Jack Hermon thanking him for his letter on his appointment as Chief Constable, saying that he is “very concerned that I make a job of it. Lives are at stake, and the well being of many many people”. He asks if he has thought any further on activities for young people from socially deprived areas? (12 Oct 1979); Letter from Seamus [Heaney] to Maurice Hayes thanking him for his praise of Field Work, asking him to pass on his best wishes to Joan. He comments on the subject of one of the poems “And nobody gets better as the years proceed – it has earned no new wisdom for “the people” (26 Nov 1979); Letter from Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to Maurice noting the government’s decisions on the Patten report, and thanking him for his hard work on the Commission. “It is clear from this, and the subsequent reaction that there is still work to be done in Unionist, Nationalist and police staff association circles” (10 Jan 2000). Letters and statement from Senator Maurice Hayes, Chair at the European Conference on Social Development, Dublin (17-18 Jan 2000); Letter from Brian [Faulkner}, Prime Minister for Northern Ireland, to Maurice Hayes thanking him for his letter, and hoping that they can meet soon (7 Apr 1971); Letter from Jack Lynch apologising for the delay in responding and thanking him for his letter (17 Oct 1977); Letter from Meron Benvenisti, Jerusalem, to Maurice Hayes enclosing his proposal for a comparative study of Belfast and Jerusalem; Letter from Robert Lowry, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, to Maurice Hayes thanking him for his letter and the enjoyable lunch (25 June 1979); Correspondence with David Watkins, Director Policing and Security, Northern Ireland Office, Belfast, with detailed concerns on the Draft Implementation Plan for the Patten Report (Mar 2000); Letter from Peter Smith, QC, a member of the Patten Commission, to Paul Priestly, Northern Ireland Office, outlining in detail his concerns about the draft implementation plan concluding “I believe that politicians hostile to the police will find in your proposals all the excuses they need to avoid endorsing the new police service – or worse – and thus, yet another great, but unrepeatable, opportunity will have been lost” (27 Mar 2000); letter from Peter Smith QC to David Watkins on the issue of divisive symbols, feeling that the Northern Ireland Office has diluted their recommendations on the matter (22 Mar 2000). Also notes on the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill introduced to the House of Commons on 16th May 2000, feeling that it will not be acceptable to either nationalist party in its current form.
