No contingency plan over deadlock

Mr Woodward said party leaders wanted to find a way through

The British and Irish governments are not working on a contingency plan to hold interparty talks to break the deadlock in the Stormont Executive.

Speaking on BBC NI's Inside Politics, Secretary of State Shaun Woodward said they were ready to help if asked.

He said the first and deputy first ministers had indicated their commitment to resolve their differences within their own discussions.

"Our job should be to help them find a way through the difficulties," he said.