§ Lord Lairdasked her Majesty's Government:
Whether, following the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly on 14 October, the North/South Ministerial Council created by an agreement of 8 March 1999 following the Belfast Agreement was also effectively suspended, given paragraph 13 of Strand Two of the Belfast agreement. [HL398]
§ Lord Williams of MostynSection 1 of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 makes clear that the functions conferred by Section 52 or 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (North-South Ministerial Council and British Irish Council) are not to be exercised during the suspension of the Assembly.