Woodward's Departure Could Spell End Of NIO

Stormont Castle (pictured) may soon bid farewell to the very last Northern Ireland Office (NIO) Secretary of State since the imposition of Direct Rule well over three decades ago.

The outbreak of serious violence in 1971 with 174 deaths and the failure of internment in August, produced a major initiative by the Conservative government led by Edward Heath in March 1972.

The Stormont Parliament and Government where prorogued, executive, legislative and security power returned to Westminster and direct rule under a Secretary of State began under the Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972.

Thirty-six years after Willie Whitelaw first set foot in Stormont Castle to take executive powers over a Province in turmoil, Shaun Woodward could be Northern Ireland's last Secretary of State.

If Prime Minister Gordon Brown decides to shake up his Government next month - as anticipated - Mr Woodward's increasing closeness to the Prime Minister may have paved his way for a Cabinet promotion in the expected reshuffle.

Whitehall sources also say Mr Brown may well be prepared to do away with the Northern Ireland Office as a separate Government department altogether - effectively ending the most tortuous period of NI history ever suffered.

The NIO itself would instead be swallowed by a new Department of the Regions, also encompassing the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office.

Mr Woodward has been tipped to take over as Defence Secretary - one of the plum Cabinet jobs - while the current Defence Secretary, former NIO Minister Des Browne, is being weighed up for a return to Belfast as the head of the new department.

Mr Woodward was given the NIO brief - his first Cabinet job - by Gordon Brown when he became Prime Minister last year.

The proposal to merge the Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh Offices has been around since power was first devolved to the regions, but has been usually held back because of Northern Ireland's political difficulties.

But with the NIO handling few reserved matters - and seeking to devolve its last major brief, justice and policing, in the near future - the PM is said to be considering completing the merger.

(BMcC)