§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what basis the relocation of the headquarters of a cross-border implementation body is justified under a policy of care and maintenance. [HL2734]
§ Baroness AmosThe answer to the noble Lord's Question would depend on the circumstances, but in general the care and maintenance principle applies to the functions of a North/South body as opposed to where its headquarters is located.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which activities may be undertaken by cross-Border implementation bodies under the policy of care and maintenance; and whether these include the relocation of headquarters. [HL2750]
§ Baroness AmosIt is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of all those activities that would be consistent with the policy of care and maintenance. However it may be helpful if I were to remind the noble Lord that the Statement of Clarification issued by the two Governments on 20 December 2002 said:
"We intend to take only those decisions required to ensure proper care and maintenance of the Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland in the peformance of their necessary public functions. We intend only to pursue the policies and actions already agreed in the NSMC and not to introduce any new policies".
I would refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 19 January 2004 (WA 118), which deals with the question of the consistency of the relocation of an implementation body's headquarters with this policy.