HL Deb 12 July 2004 vol 663 cc118-9WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there has been any contact between the North/South Ministerial Council Secretariat in Armagh and the Ulster Political Research Group; if so, why such contact was made; and what is the Cross-Border Implementation Body's mandate for such contacts. [HL3502]

Baroness Amos:

The NSMC Secretariat is staffed by officials drawn from the Irish Government and from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. Those staff may exercise both secretariat and other, wider, functions. Acting in their capacity as officials of the Irish Government and OFMDFM, staff of the secretariat have helped to facilitate meetings between members of the Ulster Political Research Group and a number of external organisations.