Cameron's Pledge On Justice Terms

A future Tory government would honour the policing and justice deal outlined by Gordon Brown, David Cameron has said.

The proposed budget, believed to be in the region of £800m to £1bn, was published by Downing Street yesterday.

First Minister Peter Robinson, who is yet to fully commit to the settlement, had earlier requested a pledge from the Conservative Party that it would stand over the funding arrangement.

Mr Cameron last night told Mr Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness he was supportive of devolving the new powers to Stormont.

The Prime Minister has held a series of talks with Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness in recent month in a bid to break an emerging deadlock over the issue.

In a letter, Mr Brown said Treasury reserves would prop-up security needs in Northern Ireland, and provide for contingencies.

It was feared unforeseen policing requirements would be funded through cuts in other Assembly departments.

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggot welcomed the publication of the budget and said he intends to examine its implications further with the Policing Board.

Alex Attwood of the SDLP said the devolution of security and judiciary matters was still "not close enough".

He claimed it was unlikely the DUP would sign-off purely on the basis of a two-page letter from the Prime Minister.

Sir Reg Empey, leader of the second largest unionist party at Stormont, has reserved judgment on the paper.

The Ulster Unionist chief said his party would seek a longer term deal on the matter, rather than agreeing on a budget which has a "sunset clause" in 2012.

The man tipped to become the new Justice Minister, Alliance leader David Ford, described Mr Brown's proposed budget as reasonable.

However, Mr Ford said that despite the fact the new Stormont department would effectively open with a 'clean slate', it was unlikely to be immune from facing "problems with finance in the coming years".

Leader of the loyalist-backed PUP, Dawn Purvis called on ministers to complete devolution.

Power sharing opponent Jim Allister, who heads up the break-away Traditional Unionist Voice, said he opposes any move that would give republicans a hand in security matters.

"As republicans have repeatedly made clear, they see the ending of British control of policing and justice and the transfer of those powers into an Executive where they hold sway as a key part of their strategy," he said.

(PR/GK)