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Northern Ireland: Monitoring Commission

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Peter Hain) has made the following Ministerial Statement. I have today published and laid before Parliament my second annual report on the operation of the agreement between the British and Irish Governments which established the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC). This report covers the period18 September 2004 to 17 September 2005. In line with a commitment made by my predecessor, this report also contains the audited accounts of the IMC for the 15-month period ending 31 March 2005. I remain grateful to the commissioners of the IMC for their valuable contributions over this period, and for their contribution to promoting the transition to a peaceful society and a stable and inclusive devolved Government in Northern Ireland.