Controls on police informers in Northern Ireland are robust, an inspection report has revealed.

Arrangements for handling and controlling sources in paramilitary organisations are effective and comply with the legislation, a probe by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) found.

It was launched following former Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's 2007 report into the loyalist murder of north Belfast man Raymond McCord Jnr, which said police colluded with the gang in several killings.

The HMIC document added police were working well with the security services after MI5 assumed responsibility for national security in Northern Ireland.

“Her Majesty's Inspector (Denis O'Connor) is pleased to report, however, that the arrangements now in place for the handling, controlling and management of covert human intelligence sources in terrorist networks within Northern Ireland are robust, effective and comply with all the necessary legislation,” it said.

“Protocols are in place for the management of participating informants and these are considered to be effective.”

The brief report — a more full version has not been publicly released for security reasons — said clarification was needed in some aspects of the legislation. The inspector added he was satisfied that those matters were under discussion.

Nationalists originally expressed concern about oversight of the security forces and possible interference in policing. MI5 has built a massive headquarters near Belfast.

The dossier said: “HMI was particularly impressed with the willingness on the part of both Police Service of Northern Ireland staff and security service staff to work together in a positive and constructive way, which made the transition (of national security responsibilities from the police to MI5) on October 10, 2007, as smooth as possible.”