§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legal obstacles prevent formalised police exchanges between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda Siochana; and if he will make a statement. [170562]
§ Mr. PearsonWith the coming into force of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (Secondment) (Garda Siochana) Regulations 2004, there is no legal obstacle in the United Kingdom jurisdiction which would prevent police exchanges between the Police Service Northern Ireland and the Garda Siochana.
When I raised the subject at the meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 21 April, I was assured that the Irish Government is currently working up reciprocal regulations to support secondments.