The agreement is short – at just over 3,000 words – and is arranged in five sections.
These cover: 1. the devolution of policing and justice powers from London; 2. parading; 3. improving the Stormont Executive’s function and delivery; 4. delivering on outstanding Executive business; and 5. resolving outstanding issues from the St Andrews Agreement of 2006.
The agreement contains a short preamble which stresses the parties’ willingness to ensure the Executive and Assembly reflect better a “spirit of partnership, mutual respect and equality which remain vital for the success of devolution”.
1: POLICING AND JUSTICE
The agreement provides for a single minister in charge of a Stormont justice department who is to be elected by cross-community vote in the Assembly scheduled for March 9th. Powers are to be transferred on April 12th. This section explicitly lays out the independence of both the judiciary and the chief constable of the PSNI.
The justice minister will also draft an addendum to the Executive’s Programme for Government (PfG). There are 14 suggested policy areas which could be usefully included in such an addendum. The relationship between the new justice minister and the Executive is also detailed.
The document confirms the new minister will have the same status as other ministers and will also have the same standing in terms of attending and voting at Executive meetings.
Included in the agreement is a copy of a letter to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister from British prime minister Gordon Brown, dated October 21st, 2009, which outlines the financial package offered to the Executive to cover the costs of devolved policing and justice services.
2: PARADES
The agreement commits all parties to “a new and improved framework” to regulate and adjudicate on parades.
The First Minister and Deputy First Minister will set up a working group of six who “will bring forward agreed outcomes which they believe are capable of achieving cross-community support for the new and improved framework”.
Work on this begins next week and a draft Bill to be submitted to the Assembly is to be agreed. It is envisaged that such a Bill, giving legal voice to new arrangements for handling parades, will complete is passage through the Assembly by the Christmas recess.
This section concludes: “The current adjudication mechanism of the Parades Commission will continue until the new improved arrangements are in place.”
3: IMPROVING EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AND DELIVERY
Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey and SDLP Minister Margaret Ritchie are to be asked to co-chair a working group tasked with drawing up suggestions on how the Executive might function better and how delivery might be improved. This group will comprise members from all parties represented on the Executive.
4: OUTSTANDING EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
The Executive’s two junior ministers are to chair a working group which will uncover all pending Executive papers and decisions. They are to report back to the Executive “detailing the level of progress made on each outstanding matter” and will recommend how progress can be made on each matter before the end of February.
5: OUTSTANDING ISSUES FROM ST ANDREWS
The First Minister and Deputy First Minister will oversee an assessment of the 2006 St Andrews Agreement which provided the basis for the restoration of devolution and the Stormont institutions in 2007.
They will advise the Executive on how progress is to be made on outstanding issues arising from St Andrews. A working group will make an initial report by the end of March.
Within four weeks of this the First Minister and Deputy First Minister “will agree a programme to effect completion of the agreed conclusions of the working group”.