Parties not shown PM's offer on policing and justice

Stormont politicians today called for greater transparency on the devolution of policing and justice powers after they were denied sight of the Prime Minister's offer on financing the move.

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), SDLP and Alliance were today briefed by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on Gordon Brown's offer.

But none of the parties was shown the letter from the Prime Minister that detailed his proposal, sparking UUP leader Sir Reg Empey to demand wider talks to resolve the stand-off.

The parties held separate meetings with Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness at Stormont Castle, but while they were briefed on the Prime Minister's offer, they were told he had not given permission for them to see it in black-and-white.

"Imagine with all the other problems we have, with education and all the others things, we are getting into a circular argument about a letter," said Sir Reg.

"There are more important things to discuss here."

Sir Reg said he was given indications of what had been offered by Downing St, but he questioned the handling of the issue and called for wider talks involving Stormont's parties to secure a resolution.

On Monday Mr Brown passed a letter to Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness detailing his financial offer on funding the cost of devolution, and while Sinn Fein has accepted the offer, the DUP has yet to do so.

Peter Robinson is also asking for further confidence-building measures.

Sir Reg said: "We have a whole range of other issues that haven't been discussed today from the way this Executive is run, to the past, to parades, to the 2012 sunset clause (on the system for selecting a new justice minister), a whole range of issues that need to be discussed.

"And the only way we are going to make progress is that the parties here discuss them openly and honestly.

"But trying to do such a serious business in a hole-in-corner way is not going to find any favour with us."

Last November the DUP and Sinn Fein brokered a deal to deliver devolution of the powers from Westminster to the Assembly, but a date for completing the move was never made public.

The parties agreed to a voting system to select a new Justice Minister that would step outside the normal power-sharing rules of the Assembly, but the arrangement carried a 'sunset clause' meaning the scheme will lapse in 2012.

With both parties also committed to leaving the new post of Justice Minister to a politician from outside their ranks, the Alliance Party is favourite to eventually fill the role.

Alliance leader David Ford emerged from Stormont Castle and said that he believed progress was being made.

"Sometimes it takes an awful lot of preliminary work before an agreement can be reached in a relatively short period of time," he said.

"Today was an opening briefing for parties who have not been involved in discussions. It was emphasised on a number of occasions that this was the Prime Minister's paper and it will be up to the Prime Minister to decide at what point it is published.

"But I think First Minister and Deputy First Minister gave us as much detail as they could do."

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said Peter Robinson did most of the talking during the meeting, but the SDLP chief said he did not get the impression that the DUP leader was close to a deal on completing devolution.

"It should happen by Christmas, there is no reason why is shouldn't happen by Christmas if everybody has that will, then that's the way we should move things forward," said Mr Durkan.

Mr Robinson has called for the Conservative Party to endorse any deal with the Labour Government to ensure that, if David Cameron leads his party to power, it will abide by the devolution deal.

Mr Durkan said: "And if people really want to force commitments from the Conservatives, people should prove their own commitment by setting a date for devolution now."

A spokesperson for the First and Deputy First Ministers later confirmed they had briefed the parties.

They said that Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness would be happy to have the Prime Minister's proposals made public by Downing Street.

The two political leaders pledged to provide further information and arrange further meetings with the political parties as necessary.

Belfast Telegraph