RUC changes "still not enough"

Police Bill assurances still not enough for Sinn Fein

Gerry Adams has said the government "still has a considerable distance to travel" if it is to keep its commitments to reform the RUC.

The Sinn Fein President said "departures" from the Patten report on policing in its translation into legislation "had yet to be corrected".

As the Police (NI) Bill went through its second reading in the Commons on Tuesday, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson moved to try to address some of the concerns raised by Sinn Fein and the Social Democratic and Labour Party.

Gerry Adams: "Many issues still unresolved"

However, Mr Adams said it was not good enough that the legal description of the new force would still incorporate the Royal Ulster Constabulary's title.

Sinn Fein and the SDLP feel the policing report by EU Commissioner Chris Patten has been "diluted" in the Bill.

The government is also under pressure from unionists who believe Patten's proposals to change the force's name and emblems, to make it more acceptable to nationalists, go too far.

Mandelson assurances

Promising "a new beginning for policing" in Northern Ireland, Mr Mandelson said the powers of the new policing board would be strengthened.

He added that he had "an open mind" about further changes to the Bill.

The role of the oversight commissioner, appointed to ensure the implementation of the reforms, would be written into the legislation, he said.

Peter Mandelson: Attempt to reassure nationalists

The new police oath would more fully reflect what was proposed by the Patten team.

The ombudsman would be given access to any papers she would need.

Mr Mandelson also said the concessions would ensure that all police officers - current as well as future recruits - would sign up to a new code of ethics.

And he announced that to encourage more nationalists to join the force, the operation of quotas for the recruitment of Catholics would be extended.

Under the Bill, the interests and associations of police officers would be registered.

And Mr Mandelson also moved to address the issue of the powers of the new policing board.

Wider political warning

But Mr Adams said many issues remained unresolved.

The Sinn Fein leader also reminded the government of the context in which the IRA recently made its proposals for dealing with the arms issue.

The IRA's offer to put its arms beyond use and open some of its arms dumps to inspection, was the basis of the package which the Ulster Unionists accepted to return to the powersharing executive two weeks ago.

But Mr Adams repeated that the offer was based on Prime Minister Tony Blair ensuring that all parts of the Good Friday Agreement, including the Patten report, were fully implemented.

"Thus far he has not done this," Mr Adams said.

On Tuesday the Conservative Party was unsuccessful in blocking the Bill at Westminster.

After a long day of debate an amendment to stop its second reading was defeated by a majority of 200.

Mr Adams also said that no nationalist party should have voted in favour of the Bill at its second reading.

However SDLP South Down MP Eddie McGrady said his party had drawn up 44 "substantive amendments" to the Bill which would bring it into line with the Patten report.

"In the circumstances I think his remarks are rather fatuous," he said.