§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which occasions the British side of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat has provided information to the Irish side on the Irish Government's nominees for public appointments. [5572]
§ Marjorie MowlamUnder Article 6 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the Irish Government may put forward proposals for membership of public bodies in Northern Ireland. The role of the British side of the Secretariat is confined to receiving any such names put forward by the Irish side and, once a decision has been made in relation to a particular appointment, informing the Irish side of the success or otherwise of any candidate they had put forward.