The DUP and Sinn Fein took a major step today towards the transfer of justice powers to Stormont.

The main Executive parties revealed that they have agreed that there will be a single Justice Ministry run by a lone Minister — who won’t come from the DUP or Sinn Fein.

That agreement removes a major obstacle to the devolution of justice — which would see a local Minister take charge of policng and the courts — but a final deal could still be months away.

The parties have yet to agree when the powers will actually be transferred from London, and a number of further details still need to be addressed.

Disagreements over the devolution of policing and justice powers have disrupted Executive business for weeks. Executive meetings have been repeatedly postponed, pushing decisions back into the calendar.

Sinn Fein and the Government wanted the powers handed over from Westminister in May, but the DUP have resisted. Among their concerns was sensitivity about how DUP supporters would react to a Sinn Fein minister being put in charge of the police.

That concern appears to have been addressed by today’s agreement, w hich will see the Justice Minister elected on a cross-community basis.

That makes it possible that the first Justice Minister will come from the Alliance Party.

First Ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness have written to the Assembly’s Executive Review Committee, asking them to issue a new report on the devolution of justice powers.

“We believe that your consideration should be based on a single department in which policing and justice powers would reside with a single Minister elected at all times from the Assembly in a way which would ensure cross-community support,” said the letter, which was released today.

“We have agreed that initially neither of our parties will nominate one of our members for the post of Justice Minister.

“Within this broad framework there are still a considerable number of issues to be determined. We would be grateful if your committee would consider producing a report within this framework.”