Stormont reports published

There was doubt whether the reports would be published

Northern Ireland's parties have not yet been able to agree the timetable for the transfer of justice powers or how to appoint a policing minister.

This was confirmed in a Stormont report on policing and justice.

The report says the DUP and UUP expressed a clear preference for a single justice minister, while Sinn Fein preferred two ministers of equal status.

The Programme for Government Committee has now published five of the six reports which were being prepared for it on key issues.

Earlier this month, the committee decided that the reports would not be published unless a strong case was advanced that they should be made public.

The policing and justice report confirms that Sinn Fein, the SDLP and the UUP believed a minister should be appointed using the proportional D'Hondt system, whereas the DUP backed the election of a minister by a 70% weighted majority.

Last month, the government suggested that a justice minister should be elected by cross-community vote.

Initial arrangement

The secretary of state said this initial arrangement should be reviewed by 2011.

In the policing and justice report, the DUP describe this government proposal as cumbersome and neither efficient nor effective.

Sinn Fein say it is helpful and it assumed both the justice minister and his or her deputy would be elected.

Sinn Fein suggested that locating policing and justice within the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister might also be a short-term option.

The SDLP objected to the cross-community vote as contrary to the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.

The UUP rejected the government model, arguing there should be a single department led by a single minister. In their report, all four parties did agree that they should back the rule of law.

Committee reports

The Stormont Programme for Government Committee has now published reports on policing and justice, school admissions, and rural planning.

It released a report on public sector job location last week when the matter was debated in the Assembly.

A report on rates and water charges was released when the issue came up for debate on Monday.

The only report so far not published deals with the economy and the shape of a peace dividend to accompany any political deal.