Downing Street Says » Northern Ireland

» Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Northern Ireland

The Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) began by telling the assembled press that a letter from the Prime Minister to the First and Deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland would be placed in the House of Commons library at midday. This would set out the financial framework for the devolution of policing and justice in Northern Ireland.

As people would know, there had been intensive discussions going on over the last few months and the Prime Minister had been centrally involved in these discussions. A meeting would take place this morning as well. These were complex issues, but good progress had been made. After the letter had been tabled the Prime Minister would make a short statement to the House.

Asked if a deal had been done, the PMS replied that the letter would make clear what had been proposed in terms of what the First and Deputy First Ministers should recommend to their two respective parties. Asked if the Prime Minister’s statement would change the timings of PMQs, the PMS said he did not think so as it would be a short statement.

Asked about the funding involved, the PMS replied that in terms of figures, there was not a great deal he could say at this moment. Asked why finance should be an issue, given that policing and justice in Northern Ireland was currently paid for by Westminster and all that was happening was transferring costs from one body to another, the PMS said that there were a number of different elements to this financial package, which by definition made it complex.

Put that presumably the costs were going up, the PMS replied that there would be an additional cost involved, but it was a question of how that cost was identified and allocated.

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