§ Lord Lairdasked her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 6 November (WA123), whether this means that the Linguistic Diversity 13ranch of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland does not contain officials with expertise in the Irish language and in Ulster-Scots language and culture; and, if not, why not. [HL182]
§ Lord Williams of MostynExpertise in specific languages is not among the core competencies which are required of general administrative staff in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
§ Lord Lairdasked her Majesty's Government:
Whether the two parts of the Language Implementation Body, as an international body set up under the Belfast Agreement o f 1998, have an equal relationship with the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and its counterpart in the Government of the Irish Republic. [HL185]
3WA
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe relationship between the North/South Language Body, comprised of Foras Na Gaeilge and Tha Boord of Ulster-Scotch, and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is determined by the North/South Implementation Bodies Agreement of 8 March 1999, and by the North/South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 and the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, which incorporated the provisions of that agreement with the domestic law of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland respectively.