§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 22 June (WA 113), whether there was agreement between the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Ulster-Scots Agency on the 2004 budget. [HL3820]
§ Baroness AmosI refer the noble Lord to my Answers on 10 June 2004 (WA 39) and (WA 42). While there were discussions between the two sponsor departments and the Ulster-Scots Agency about their 2004 budget, ultimately it did not prove possible to obtain the agency's full agreement to the budget approved by both departments.
§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Ulster Scots Agency in Belfast is obliged, if requested by a citizen of the Irish Republic, to respond in Irish. [HL4037]
§ Baroness AmosThere is no such statutory obligation arising in NI to respond in Irish to an Irish citizen though the Irish Official Languages Act 2003 may create one in that jurisdiction, by virtue of the agency's status as part of a North/South Implementation Body. The Government would encourage all public bodies, as a courtesy, to respond to correspondence in Irish, Ulster-Scots or any other recognised regional or minority language under the Council of Europe Charter, if requested to do so. In that regard, I refer the noble Lord to my Answers of 10 June 2004 (WA 42) and 6 May 2004 (WA 126) referring to the code of practice currently being prepared, which will be used by the North/South Language Body.