§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations have been made by the Government of the Irish Republic since the conclusion of the Anglo-Irish agreement about the judicial process and the prison system in Northern Ireland; and with what effect.
§ Mr. Tom KingThese matters have been discussed in the first three meetings of the intergovernmental Conference. The details are as follows:
- (a) The joint statement after the first meeting of the conference on 11 December 1985 recorded that "The Conference agreed to establish a working group of officials to consider the machinery for the further discussion of legal matters, including the administration of justice."
- (b) The joint statement issued after the second (special) meeting of the conference on 30 December 1985 indicated that the meeting was mostly concerned with prisons matters but recorded that the Irish Government also "put forward views and proposals designed to give substantial expression to the aim of ensuring public confidence in the administration of justice".
- (c) The joint statement issued after the third meeting of the conference on 10 January 1986 recorded that: "British and Irish officials reported to the Conference on ways in which the discussion of legal matters could best be pursued. The British side emphasised the need for an early review of policy aspects of extradition and related matters. The Irish side stressed the importance they attached to measures designed to underline public confidence in the administration of justice. 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 of the Conference 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."