§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he intends urgently to raise at the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference extradition and extraterritorial jurisdiction in the terms of article 8 of the Anglo-Irish agreement.
§ Mr. Tom King[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1986, c. 597-98]: The matter has already been raised.
At the last meeting of the intergovernmental conference on 10 January we emphasised the need for an early review of policy aspects of extradition and related matters. The conference instructed officials to continue their discussions with a view to a meeting, before the next meeting of the conference, of a sub-group comprising, on the British side, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Attorney-General and, on the Irish side, the Minister for Justice and the Attorney-General.
§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the proposals considered in respect of Northern Ireland by the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference which have been found to have application by the Irish Government in terms of article 2 of the Anglo-Irish agreement; and what action followed.
§ Mr. Tom King[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1986, c. 597–98]: Article 2 of the Anglo-Irish agreement makes it clear that proposals which the Irish Government 79W may make in respect of Northern Ireland may also be found to have application by the Irish Government. But it also makes clear that there is no derogation from the sovereignty of either the United Kingdom Government or the Irish Government and that each retains responsibilities for the decisions and administration of government within its own jurisdiction. The joint statements, issued after each of the three meetings of the conference, set out the matters which were raised. The extent to which any proposals made by the Irish Government in respect of Northern Ireland are already provided for in the Republic or may be provided for in future is a matter for the Irish Government.
§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is intended that the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference should sometimes meet in Dublin.
§ Mr. Tom King[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1986, c. 597–98]: There is no limitation under the agreement where meetings of the conference may be held. But there are no plans to hold a meeting in Dublin at present.
§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many United Kingdom civil servants, and how many Northern Ireland civil servants, are posted in the secretariat of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.
§ Mr. Tom King[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1986, c. 597–98]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Gow) on 23 January, at columns 313–14. The composition of the secretariat has not been finalised but the six or so staff who are likely to be needed will be drawn from the United Kingdom Civil Service and the Northern Ireland Civil Service. Posts will not be formally apportioned between the two services and the number of staff from each is therefore likely to vary as needs change.
§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what proportion the cost of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference will be borne by the two Governments.
§ Mr. Tom King[pursuant to his reply, 30 January 1986, c. 597–98]: The costs of the intergovernmental conference will be shared by the two Governments. The basis of the apportionment of costs has not yet been determined.