HL Deb 27 January 2005 vol 668 c176WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the document of 10 April 2003 entitled Ministerial Decision-Making —Interim Procedures paragraph 6, envisaged the inclusion of political advisers in the consultation process through the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Ministers. [HL764]

Baroness Amos

As stated in paragraph 6 of the document of 10 April 2003, the role of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, along with the NSMC Joint Secretariat and Department of Foreign Affairs, is to ensure that papers being submitted for ministerial decision are within the terms of the Implementation Bodies Agreement of 8 March 1999, as amended by the exchange of notes of 19 November 2002. Consultation with the special advisers was not envisaged as part of this process.