Justice bill 'has MLAs support'

MPs have been debating the bill to transfer justice powers

A bill to devolve policing and justice "has the confidence" of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Secretary of State Shaun Woodward has said.

He was speaking during the second reading of the bill in the House of Commons.

MPs from both Labour and Conservative benches complained that the legislation was being rushed through Parliament.

However, Mr Woodward said nothing would happen without the agreement of the Northern Ireland parties.

"The elected representatives of the people of Northern Ireland, having gone through their assembly and executive review committee, have asked that we give legislative form to their agreement of November and January.

"In that sense, this bill not only has confidence but has 'Made in Northern Ireland' firmly stamped upon it."

SDLP leader Mark Durkan warned the transfer of policing and justice powers could lead to a "zombie minister with no department".

Disagreements between Sinn Fein and the DUP led to the breakdown of the executive last year, although a deal was struck in November.

The Conservatives want the NI secretary to assume transferred policing and justice powers if parties cannot agree.

In November, Sinn Fein and the DUP agreed to appoint a justice minster through cross-community choice, but the SDLP are putting down an amendment to have the minister appointed through the D'Hondt system, which would give the post to them.

Mr Durkan said people should know what the proposed bill means.

It is in effect legislation for stand-off and stalemate after the assembly elections of May 2011 Mark Durkan SDLP leader Criminal cases cost double in NI

"It doesn't give a date for the devolution of justice," he said.

"Nor does it ensure that there is a nationalist minister for justice, as we are entitled to have under the Good Friday Agreement.

"But it does mean that if we actually get the devolution of justice, then it can collapse in both May 2011 and 2012.

Cost

"It is in effect legislation for stand-off and stalemate after the assembly elections of May 2011, when the grandstanding will begin again as the DUP and Sinn Fein jockey for position ahead of 2012.

"This could lead to the bizarre situation of a department with no minister."

Mark Durkan's party have put down an amendment

BBC Northern Ireland's political editor Mark Devenport said he would be surprised if the government was to allow anything to reshape the bill.

"Essentially they're pushing this through in order to enable the deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein to be implemented," he said.

"They will want to see it go through more or less as they've drawn it up and they have the votes to ensure that it does."

On Tuesday, it emerged that the average legal aid bill for criminal cases in Northern Ireland is more than twice that for England and Wales.

The disclosure was made to a committee which is trying to find out the cost of devolving justice to Stormont.

The average legal aid bill for criminal cases in Northern Ireland was £14,000 compared to £6,000 in England and Wales.

Committee member Ian Paisley Jnr said devolving justice could cost £700m.