§ Lord Bleaseasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish in the Official Report a list of dates before November 1985 and since the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement (Cmnd. 9657) on which formal meetings and/or written communications were undertaken between the Government and the representatives of the five organisations mentioned in the agreement—the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights; the Fair Employment Agency; the Equal Opportunities Commission; the Police Authority for Northern Ireland; and the Police Complaints Boards—about the matters stated in Article 6 of the agreement; and what arrangements have been undertaken, or proposed, by the Intergovernmental Conference to promote the stated objectives of Article 10 of the agreement, especially "to promote economic and social development".
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern ireland Office (Lord Lyell)On 15th November 1985, the day on which the Anglo-Irish Agreement was signed, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland wrote to each of the organisations concerned to explain the terms and purpose of the agreement. Following this he held a round of meetings with representatives of each of the954WA organisations to explain how Article 6 may affect them. These took place in December 1985 and January 1986. We made it clear that while the Irish Government may put forward views and proposals on the role and composition of those bodies, appointments to those bodies and their role remain matters for decision by the United Kingdom Government. The Government had no discussions or correspondence with these organisations about Article 6 of the agreement before 15th November. Cross-border co-operation on economic and social issues was discussed in the Intergovernmental Conference on 11th March, including the prospects of international assistance for economic and social development.