§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the legislative provisions that are required to be enacted prior to the entry into force of the 10 April 1998 Agreement between the British and Irish Governments; if she will list the legislative measures required to implement provisions of the Multi-party Agreement; and what is the proposed timetable for consultation and publication of draft legislation. [48468]
§ Mr. Paul Murphy[holding answer 7 July 1998]: The House is today taking the Third Reading of the third and last of the Bills necessary for the implementation of the Belfast Agreement, the Northern Ireland Bill, on which we have had consultations both before and since introduction.
Some subordinate legislation will be necessary to complete the implementation process and to permit effect to be given to the Agreement between the British and Irish 585W Governments. This will include orders to implement any proposals for changes in the structure of the Northern Ireland Departments that may be agreed, and orders to provide the necessary statutory underpinning for the initial implementation bodies envisaged in the Strand Two section of the Belfast Agreement.