§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 8 September {WA 8) concerning the budget for the Special European Union Programmes Body, when the approval for the budget was given; and why that information was not included in the original answer. [HL4406]
§ Baroness AmosThe initial grant for the SEUPB (i.e. the budget for first quarter of 2000) was made from money appropriated by the Appropriation (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (main estimates), following parliamentary debates on 15 and 21 June, which came into operation on 22 June 1999. Approval for the remainder of the 2000 annual budget was made under the Appropriation Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 and following debates in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 1 June, 12 June, 19 June and 26 June 2000, came into operation on 25 July 2000. In the South, Dail Eireann approved the 2000 grant for the SEUPB on 20 June 2000.
As the 2000 budget was not approved by the NSMC it was not appropriate to give an approval date in the answer to the noble Lord on 8 September (WA 8).
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 9 September {WA 108), whether the budget for the Special European Union Programme Body for 2001 and 2002 was approved by the North/ South Ministerial Council using the procedure of 5 December 2002. [HL4451]
§ Baroness AmosI refer the noble Lord to the information provided in the Written Answers of 9 September 2003(WA 108) and 7 July 2003 (WA 3). The budgets for the Special EU Programmes Body in 2001 and 2002 were approved by the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) prior to the introduction of the procedure of 5 December 2002.