Stevens' report delayed until autumn

This is Sir John Stevens' third inquiry into the affair

The report by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens into allegations of collusion between the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland has been delayed until the autumn.

It had been expected that the report would be delivered in a few weeks.

Scotland Yard said the delay was because Sir John was determined that the report would be what it called "absolutely thorough".

A primary focus of the investigation is the murder of Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane, who was shot dead by loyalists in his north Belfast home in 1989.

Hugh Orde: Stood down from the investigation when appointed chief constable of the PSNI

Earlier this week, Mr Finucane's family reiterated their call for an independent judicial inquiry into his death.

The man who had been in day-to-day charge of the inquiry, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hugh Orde has stood down.

He was recently appointed as Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Its former head, Sir Ronnie Flanagan commissioned the investigation, and Scotland Yard said it believed it would have been inappropriate for Mr Orde to continue in his former role in charge of the investigation.

Mr Orde will not be directly replaced, and Sir John has returned to day-to-day charge of the inquiry.

Scotland Yard said the team of officers remained active, and would be supplemented by further officers if this should prove necessary.

Recent newspaper reports, and a BBC Panorama programme, have suggested the contents of the report will be explosive, and that it will find that there was collusion between sections of the security forces and loyalist murder gangs.