Brown to discuss policing budget

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness said progress was made last week

Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers are to meet Prime Minister Gordon Brown later.

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness will discuss with Mr Brown a budget for the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Executive.

Talks last Wednesday ended without an overall package being agreed, although both men said progress had been made.

It is understood the issues of equal pay and hearing loss claims were a sticking point.

Ahead of Monday's meeting, Mr McGuinness said it was important for the DUP and Sinn Fein to reach a deal now as there will not be a better one in the future.

"We expect Gordon Brown to do the right thing by finance and believe there is responsibility on us to strike a deal," said the Sinn Fein MP.

The two men had been expected to ask Mr Brown if he was prepared to fund a budget shortfall estimated to be about £600m.

Officials have been working over the summer on the figures but sources in Belfast said the Treasury has not narrowed the gap sufficiently.

The Conservative Party's Northern Ireland spokesman, Owen Paterson, warned his party would not give any guarantees about the funding of policing and justice powers.

Mr Robinson had called on Tory leader David Cameron to approve any financial package offered by the prime minister, saying there was no point agreeing a package with one government when another might take over.