To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they regard the St Andrews agreement as an international agreement; and, if so, how it is monitored. [HL4172]

The 2006 St Andrews agreement was published jointly at St Andrews on 13 October 2006 by the British and Irish Governments. The practical changes to the operation of the 1998 Belfast agreement institutions as envisaged by the 2006 St Andrews agreement have been formalised in international law by the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Irish Government and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Cm 7078) which came into force on 9 May 2007 following the restoration of devolution.

The two Governments, as parties to this agreement, hold each other to account for its implementation. Implementation is monitored through the usual constitutional scrutiny mechanisms. These include scrutiny within each administration and with the relevant legislature holding the executive to account.