§ 7.57 p.m.
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn) rose to move, That the draft order laid before the House on 18th July be approved [37th Report from the Joint Committee]
§ The noble and learned Lord said: My Lords, I beg to move the approval of this order, which transfers functions relating to agriculture and finance from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland. There was an earlier order, the Northern Ireland (Modification of Enactments—No. 1) Order 1999. Subsequent to that, a trawl was carried out to see whether there were any further appropriate candidates for a modification of enactments order.
§ Articles 2 to 9 set out in detail how these enactments are to be amended, and the powers transferred from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland—and, in one case, the Lord Chancellor—to the departments to which I referred. I stress that this is a purely technical provision transferring functions so far as they relate to certain financial and agricultural matters.
§ Moved, That the draft order laid before the House on 18th July be approved [37th Report from the Joint Committee]—(Lord Williams of Mostyn.)
§ Lord KilclooneyMy Lords, this is an interesting time in Northern Ireland. The order now before the House is, of course, relevant to the whole principle of devolution—the transfer of powers from central 483 government to the devolved institution. Can the noble and learned Lord confirm that in three days' time it will be transferred back?
§ Lord GlentoranMy Lords, I thank the noble and learned Lord for moving the order. As he says, it is purely a technical amendment designed to tidy up some bits and pieces that were missed earlier on in life. I have no difficulty in supporting the Motion.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.