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New Decade, New Approach Agreement Contents

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4Implementation

Review

57.The agreement included a review mechanism in the form of Implementation Review Meetings. It stated that

The parties are very conscious that the integrity and credibility of this Agreement is dependent on its effective and expeditious implementation. Accordingly, progress in implementing the provisions of this Agreement must be actively reviewed and monitored alongside or in coordination with arrangements to monitor the implementation of previous Agreements.122

The agreement described quarterly Implementation Review Meetings, with the first being held before the end of January 2020.123 It stated that the meetings will include party leaders in the Northern Ireland Executive and that the UK Government and the Irish Government will be involved “as appropriate in accordance with the three stranded approach”.124 It added that an Implementation Programme and Timetable will be agreed at the first meeting. Annex F to New Decade, New Approach stated that quarterly updates on progress on the implementation of the agreement will be published.125

58.We asked Minister Walker about the status of the Implementation Review Meetings. He told us that “for various reasons” the first Implementation Review Meeting did not take place at the end of January 2020.126 Mark Larmour, Director, Northern Ireland Office, explained that Covid-19 had “thrown out of kilter” the timetable for Implementation Review Meetings.127 He stated that the Government is still committed to working with the Northern Ireland Executive to convene “regular implementation meetings” as soon as possible to examine progress “against each of the objectives in the New Decade, New Approach deal”.128 He highlighted the need for regular contact between the Northern Ireland Executive and UK Government centred on the implementation of the deal:

We can never have enough contact between the various parties, the Executive and the UK Government around the delivery of these agreements. That has been a barrier to progress in the past, frankly. We are very keen to have the frameworks that we have set out during the course of this meeting in place and working to allow us to secure the commitments that have been made in this agreement as soon as possible.129

59.The UK Government-Northern Ireland Executive Joint Board has a crucial role in overseeing the implementation of the agreement [see paragraph 37].130 Julian Smith highlighted the importance of establishing the Joint Board.131 Robin Walker told us that the Joint Board was due to meet on 26 March 2020, but that that meeting was cancelled to allow all parties to focus on their response to Covid-19.132 He stated that “we [the UK Government and the Executive] all want, as soon as possible, when it is safe to do so, to reconvene, to get those board meetings up and running and to move on with progress”.133

60.The Irish Government made several commitments in New Decade, New Approach. Those commitments, which were set out in Annex B to the agreement, addressed six areas:

• connectivity and infrastructure. This included commitments to progress plans “to complete key infrastructure projects including the A5 and the Ulster Canal connection from Clones to Upper Lough Erne”.134 The Irish Government committed funding to those projects, including a total of £75 million up to 2022 for the A5;135
• investment in the North-West and border communities. The Irish Government stated in the agreement that “the North West region is in particular need of strategic investment”.136 The Irish Government has committed to continuing to support the work of the North West Strategic Growth Partnership and “is committed in principle to providing further funding to the North West Development Fund in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Executive”;137
• research and innovation. The Irish Government stated that it will work with the Northern Ireland Executive to develop proposals for “an enhanced North/South programme of research and innovation”;138
• strategic challenges, including Brexit and Climate Change. The Irish Government committed to working with the Executive through the North South Ministerial Council to address strategic challenges such as Brexit and Climate Change. It also stated that it is ready to immediately resume discussions with the Executive on “the next period of corporate planning guidance for the North South Bodies and on necessary resourcing within wider budgetary parameters”;139
• language and culture. This included commitments to provide additional funding to the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund and Irish Language Networks;140 and
• reconciliation. This included the provision of new funding for the International Fund for Ireland, enhanced funding for the Reconciliation Fund and the expansion of the North South School Exchange Programme, among other commitments.141

61.We welcome the commitment to undertake quarterly reviews of the implementation of the agreement via both Executive-led Implementation Review Meetings and the UK Government-Northern Ireland Executive Joint Board. While we regret that the Joint Board has not yet been convened and that no Implementation Review Meetings have taken place so far, we acknowledge the challenges Covid-19 has created to timetabling these meetings. Notwithstanding those challenges, digital technology is available and a virtual meeting could and should have been convened.

62.To demonstrate the Government’s commitment to implementing the agreement, we urge the Secretary of State to show personal leadership by convening the Joint UK Government-Northern Ireland Executive Board before 1 October 2020.

63.Implementation Review Meetings should also be arranged as soon as possible. A Review must be made of the progress made on the implementation of both Governments’ commitments in New Decade, New Approach, as well as the implementation of the Northern Ireland Executive’s commitments.

64.The UK and Irish Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive should treat New Decade, New Approach as a foundation on which to build and evolve the operation of dynamic devolution in Northern Ireland, rather than as a static deal.

65.In Annex A to the agreement, the Government stated its commitment to support all the institutions created by the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement including the Executive, Assembly, North South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council.142 To support these institutions, the Government committed to the creation of “a bi-annual, Cabinet delegation with the Northern Ireland Executive to improve co-operation and collaboration”.143

66.The Institute for Government noted that this proposal is one of a range of measures “designed to support government in Northern Ireland and improve links with (and oversight by) UK government”.144 Minister Walker explained that the UK Government’s commitment to establishing a bi-annual, Cabinet delegation stemmed from

a continuation of the Prime Minister’s commitment to take Cabinet outside London to all parts of the UK. This is something that was begun at the start of this year when the Cabinet travelled to the north of England. It does not have a formal role in NDNA [New Decade, New Approach] implementation but, as you have set out, it can provide benefit by making sure that Cabinet Ministers are spending more time in Northern Ireland and more time with their counterparts in the Executive.145

67.The exact role that the bi-annual Cabinet delegation will play on oversight of the New Decade, New Approach agreement is obscure. We asked the Minister whether the meeting of the bi-annual Cabinet delegation would include the review of the implementation of New Decade, New Approach on its agenda. He told us that

the review of the implementation of the agreement is really a role for the oversight board. That board will consist of the Secretary of State, the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. As part of any Cabinet delegation, clearly, following up on the New Decade, New Approach deal will be a very important part of their responsibilities.146

He was unable to confirm whether the Executive and the UK Government Cabinet will hold a formal meeting to monitor the delivery of New Decade, New Approach.147 He concluded that “fundamentally, the role of oversight of the deal as a whole is a responsibility for the board [UK Government-NI Executive Joint Board] rather than for any joint working”.148

68.We asked the Minister whether the Prime Minister would lead the Government’s delegation. He replied that the commitment to the Cabinet delegation “came from the Prime Minister so I am sure he would be keen to”.149 He added that that matter was something that the Northern Ireland Office would be “talking to the Cabinet Office about on that basis”.150

69.The Government’s commitment in the agreement to establish a bi-annual Cabinet delegation with the Northern Ireland Executive is welcome. If realised, it should enhance co-operation between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.

70.The bi-annual Cabinet delegation must facilitate meaningful, high-level engagement between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. To fulfil its aim of improving co-operation and collaboration between the two governments, the delegation’s agenda should include a:

a)meeting between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, led by the Prime Minister, First Minister and deputy First Minister;

b)break-out programme of bi-lateral meetings between Cabinet Ministers and their relevant Executive counterparts to discuss their portfolios and potential areas for co-operation between the Government and the Executive;

c)plenary meeting of the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, after which a Joint Statement should be published summarising the meeting of the delegation and that statement placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament;

d)discussion of progress made on the implementation of the New Decade, New Approach agreement should be on the agenda at each meeting of the bi-annual Cabinet delegation; and

e)working group, to be established at the first meeting of the delegation, to consider additional institutional reforms that might help improve devolved government in Northern Ireland.

In addition, a Report on each meeting of the delegation should be laid in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

Extension to Assembly mandate due to Covid-19

71.Throughout the inquiry, we heard how Covid-19 might affect the delivery of New Decade, New Approach.151152153 Minister Walker and Mark Larmour both referred to how Covid-19 has affected the implementation of the agreement by delaying the scheduling of review meetings and the establishment of oversight bodies.154

72.Julian Smith raised the prospect of extending the mandate of the current Northern Ireland Assembly by a year to allow the full implementation of New Decade, New Approach:

As a result of the Covid crisis, there is an argument, that should be carefully considered, for extending the mandate of this Assembly by a year. The elections, currently, are due in less than a couple of years, and I do think it is in everybody’s interest that we get all the parties—all the parties that took part in this deal—to work together for a good three years to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland, and then to lay out their stall at the next election.155

On the case for extending the mandate of the current Assembly, Mr Smith added:

as a result of Covid, many things that would have happened in the Executive in the weeks following the restoration have obviously been delayed…I think the trust issue and the building of capacity among Northern Ireland leaders are important, but more importantly, the thing that gave me confidence during this period was listening to voters and to what people were saying, and what you and other politicians were hearing in December 2019 at the election—that people wanted services to work and Northern Ireland to be working better. I genuinely think that now we have had this crisis, we need to provide time to get those improvements…If voters can feel at the end of a decent length of this Assembly that these issues are now on track, that will allow a more meaningful election.156

The Committee has decided not to take a position on this proposal.

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