HL Deb 22 July 2004 vol 664 cc68-9WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 7 July (WA 80), whether the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat staff are permitted to comment on grants issued by the Ulster-Scots Agency. [HL3733]

Baroness Amos

I refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 7 July (WA 80). The North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat has no involvement in decisions about grants issued by the Ulster-Scots Agency, and has made no comments on such disbursements.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What meetings the joint secretaries of the North-South Ministerial Council or their representatives have had together with non-Civil Service or implementation body groups since 1 January 2003; with which groups; on what date; and for what purpose. [HL3763]

Baroness Amos

The duties of the staff of the North-South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat include holding meetings with persons who are neither civil servants nor members of the North-South Implementation Bodies. Over a period of more than 18 months, since January 2003, such meetings have been numerous, of varying degrees of significance, and many have been unrecorded. It is not possible to list them all with accuracy.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the exact role of the joint secretaries to the North-South Ministerial Council. [HL3764]

Baroness Amos

The Strand 2 provisions of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement describe the role and functions of the North-South Ministerial Council, and paragraph 16 provides for it "to be supported by a standing Joint Secretariat, staffed by members of the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Irish Civil Service". It is the role of the joint secretaries to discharge that support function in ways appropriate to prevailing circumstances.

Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 12 July (WA 118–119) concerning the North-South Ministerial Council Secretariat in Armagh, what are the "other wider functions" of the staff; when they have undertaken those functions; and under what instructions. [HL3821]

Baroness Amos

It is common for members of both the Northern Ireland and Irish Civil Services particularly at senior levels, to carry out functions of a representational or corporate nature which go wider than their day-to-day duties, and which may not be specified in the broad description of their particular posts. It would not be possible to list every occasion when officials of the secretariat have undertaken such wider functions, or to specify what instructions, if any, they would have acted under on such occasions.