What does the British Irish Council do for us?

SO WHAT has the British-Irish Council ever done for us? Unlike the question posed in the Life Of Brian film about the Romans - which comes with natural answers such as roads (among a myriad of other things) - this one has no simpleresponse. The latest summit meeting, bringing together the top ministers of British, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, Guernsey, Jersey and Isle of Man governments, was held in the opulent surroundings of Lancaster House, just a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace. It was recently the backdrop for the Obama and Cameron press conference. But that was on a very different scale, as the 20-odd journos who had made their way to cover the summit's 20-minute press conference would know. That the BIC is an unloved forum from the outside is clear. It is treated with the kind of disdain that prompted one hack to use his only question to ask what the point of it was. After all, it was, he said, probably the only press conference he had been to where there were more politicians than journalists. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg had a quick put-down: 'I can't do your job for you.' What the BIC does provide is perhaps much more for the smaller players than for the large ones. Where else can the chief minister get a seat at the table with the Prime Minister or his deputy? It is a priceless opportunity. The trouble is that it is hard to pinpoint a policy development that has stemmed directly from the BIC, which makes it difficult to judge its merits. Although the very fact that the cost and value of these trips is no longer a major talking point locally means that the external relations team may have at least got its message out there that Guernsey needs to be seen on the international stage. If anything, the BIC seems to be very much one of those 'what lessons can we learn' from each other forums. Behind the scenes there is work ongoing in different sectors, all as dry as you would expect. Demography is currently looking at how students move around the BIC jurisdictions. There's digital inclusion, spatial planning, an 'early years policy' group looking at how to make children's lives better, misuse of drugs where Guernsey no doubt gets to wax on about banning what were once called legal highs. But one of the key areas being investigated could well turn out to be renewable energy and how best to harness it - talks now cover linking up the member jurisdictions through the electricity grid, a move that would make sure power generated form the wind or tides gets to where it is needed and potentially creating an export market for Guernsey. Much of these topic areas were brushed over during the press conference as journalists engaged with much more topical regional issues. So the Wales First Minister Carwyn Jones faced questions about his bid to devolve energy powers so that Britain cannot decide to build a nuclear power plant in Wales without the consent of its government or people. Northern Ireland had to try and justify why it sent a delegation of 10 ministers when everyone else settled for two or three. It was a situation very much entrenched in the tangled history of Northern Ireland's politics. Ireland's Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, and Nick Clegg both faced questions about the Euro and bank bailouts. Neither, surprisingly enough, are preparing for the Euro's destruction. There was noticeable disappointment when Alex Salmond's name tag was replaced before the press conference started with that of his finance secretary, John Swinney. Mr Salmond is often the star of the show in these, at times, dry set- piece occasions - just wind him up and let him go - and the anti-sectarian legislation was making the headlines. This would have been Jersey Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur's last BIC, perhaps a chance to get some special recognition, but instead they chose to send Treasury minister Philip Ozouf, the heir apparent, and let Senator Le Sueur take time out after a trip to China. The Crown Dependencies got through the show without being asked about being tax havens, and Chief Minister Lyndon Trott got a chance to tell those listening about them being transparent and stable, as well as the importance of assets managed in Guernsey to the wider economy. And then, with a whimper, it was all over.