The British government has rejected calls for the RUC to be removed from the investigation into the murder of the Lurgan solicitor, Ms Rosemary Nelson, despite the highly critical report by the Independent Commission for Police Complaints of the RUC's investigation into allegations of police death threats against the solicitor.
Speaking in the House of Lords yesterday the Northern Ireland Minister, Lord Dubs, said the RUC was best qualified to investigate the murder of Ms Nelson. The involvement of the Kent police Chief Constable, Mr David Phillips, who is heading the murder inquiry, and the assistance of the FBI, should satisfy everyone, he said.
"If you were to remove the RUC, how can we have an effective inquiry? We want to investigate the murder quickly, find out who the criminals were and bring them to justice. I don't want any delay," Lord Dubs said.
In the Commons, the former shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Mr Kevin McNamara, asked if the government was confident that the investigation into Ms Nelson's murder would be carried out impartially when only one officer had been brought in from outside to operate in a supervisory role.
Pressing the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, during Northern Ireland Questions, Mr McNamara said: "Can she say in view of the ICPC report on harassment by the RUC of the late Rosemary Nelson, we can have confidence in the RUC continuing the investigation into the cause of her death?"
Dr Mowlam assured MPs the investigation would be "solid," insisting the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, had reacted speedily to address fears by inviting the Kent chief constable to head the inquiry and calling on external assistance from the FBI.
She would also examine "very carefully" the report into the investigation of alleged police death threats against Ms Nelson by Cmdr Niall Mulvihill, of the Metropolitan Police, which will be passed to the North's DPP.
The Northern Secretary also warned the parties in the North that the transfer of powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly would not take place without cross-community agreement on the formation of the Executive next week. If the Executive comprised only one party, power could not be devolved: "It will be dysfunctional; without both communities there it cannot make decisions."
The Conservatives again called on the government to halt the early release of terrorists until all paramilitaries had given up their weapons. The Tory deputy leader, Mr Peter Lilley, accused the Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, of sending confused signals about the government's willingness to delay the release of terrorists and said the early release scheme should be suspended.