asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 13 June (WA 17) concerning the Belfast agreement, how it can be actively developed across its structures and functions without an Assembly.[HL6376]

I refer the noble Lord to my Answer on 13 June (WA 17) and would draw his attention to paragraph 4 of the joint statement made on 29 June 2006 by the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach, which referred to continuing work on new partnership arrangements that would need to be put in place to ensure effective joint stewardship of the Belfast agreement in the event that devolution does not take place by 24 November.