§ Rev. Martin Smythasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, South on 15 April, Official Report, column 34 (a) whether the Anglo-Irish Encounter Group approached his Department for funding, (b) what arrangements exist between his Department and 507W the Anglo-Irish Encounter Group to ensure that the funds supplied by his Department are properly administered, (c) how the sums of £17,000 in 1983–84, £20,000 in 1984–85 and £24,000 in 1985–86 for the use of the Encounter Group were arrived at and (d) if he will place in the Library a report showing the work which has been facilitated by his Department's funding of the Encounter Group.
§ Mr. RentonThe information requested is as follows:
- When Anglo-Irish Encounter was set up in 1983 (Hansard of 28 July 1983 Cols. 1329–1331) both Governments agreed to offer it financial support.
- The British section of Encounter, which keep separate books, submits independently audited accounts for inspection by my officials.
- Within a ceiling of £24,000 Her Majesty's Government allocated the sums mentioned on the basis of proposals submitted by Encounter.
- I am arranging for reports produced by Encounter on its first two conferences to be placed in the Library. A similar report on its third conference is currently in preparation.