HC Deb 26 May 1999 vol 332 c177W
14. Mr. Pound

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to increase co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic as set out in the Good Friday agreement. [84452]

15. Mrs. Ellman

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to increase the co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic as set out in the Good Friday agreement. [84453]

Marjorie Mowlam

Six new implementation bodies will work on an all-island basis on inland waterways, food safety, trade and business development, special EU programmes, language and aquaculture and marine matters. Six areas where enhanced co-operation will take place through existing bodies, north and south, have also been identified. These bodies are ready to function once powers are devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

25. Dr. Tony Wright

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the role of an Irish-UK parliamentary body in implementing the Good Friday Agreement. [84464]

Mr. Paul Murphy

As the Good Friday Agreement is implemented, it will be important to build relationships between the UK and Irish Parliaments and the elected institutions of the devolved administrations. Strand Three of the Agreement states thatThe elected institutions of the members (of the British-Irish Council) will be encouraged to develop interparliamentary links, perhaps building on the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body.

The Government welcome the positive contribution which the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body has made over recent years. Whilst we will encourage interparliamentary links to develop further, it will be a matter for the elected institutions themselves as to how they choose to proceed.