The deputation, comprising John Hume, Austin Currie and Paddy Devlin, expressed serious concern about the Northern economy and the high level of unemployment. As there was no private investment in the North, they felt that public investment was the only solution. It was also vital to arrest the number of factory closures and to suggest remedies and to persuade local banks to extend credit facilities to sustain industry. As a practical solution the SDLP proposed the establishment of small factories concentrating on the production of goods for export. These could develop into small scale cooperatives which would not require major capital investment.
On the social front, Mr Currie (former Minister of Housing in the 1974 Executive) was seriously disturbed at the magnitude of the housing problem and estimated that it would now take some £500 million to maintain the existing housing stock in Northern Ireland.
On security, the SDLP was fearful of a hardening of RC attitudes if the security forces carried out blanket action in areas against the terrorists. The SDLP said they fully supported action against paramilitaries but it was vital that this should be selective.
Mr Hume expressed his party's concern at the 'courtship' between the Conservative opposition at Westminster and the Official Unionists (OUP). The party was alarmed at the attitude adopted by Airey Neave, the Tory spokesman on Northern Ireland and regarded it as very dangerous.