WOODWARD QUIZZED

Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, was today quizzed by the Assembly and Executive Review Committee. It's their job to work out how exactly policing and justice will be administered when it is devolved to Northern Ireland.

It was the first time a British Secretary of State had been quizzed before a committee of locally elected representatives, but it didn't seem to present him with to many difficulties. He needn't have been flanked by two senior civil servants as Mr Woodward seemed very much on top of his brief.

He argued that he was keen to keep the momentum going so powers could be devolved by next May - he did however recognise that it was an ambitious target and said he would understand if the Assembly came to him and ask for the timetable to be amended.

Mr Woodward also addressed the comments made by the Lord Chief Justice yesterday. He said that he saw a great deal of merit in the model Sir Brian Kerr advocated but he added that it would not be one they will seek to put into place before the devolution of the powers. It would therefore be up to the Assembly to implement that model at a later date if they so desired.

Basement Notes: Nothing of great note to report in the basement (that's where they put the press) There is a lot of weight loss going on in Assembly Broadasting - they're trying to beat the politicians who've signed up to loose a few pounds. Oh and Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd seemed a bit lost in the basement. His party leader got lost down there a few weeks ago - maybe their 'party' game should be hide and seek!