Dr. Stuart Mathieson:

As Mr. Robinson said, the command paper arrived yesterday, so we have not had a chance to go through it in detail. However, we noted sections 114 to 116 mentioned the reference to the all-Ireland economy and the statutory duty to have due regard for it that the withdrawal Act placed on Government Ministers and the devolved Administration. Legislation on this will be introduced today and tomorrow, so we will have to see what it means in practice for what we will be doing at InterTradeIreland. The remaining sections of the withdrawal Act, sections 10(1)(a) and 10(2), do not necessarily refer to the obligation to talk about the all-island economy in a political sense but they maintain, in the first instance, the spirit of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement and make very clear that there will be no interference with the institutions of North-South bodies.