Sinn Féin and the IRA came under fire over policing and the position of paramilitary "exiles" in the Commons yesterday from Mr Tony Blair and Mr John Hume.
Policing topped the agenda during Northern Ireland questions as the security minister, Ms Jane Kennedy, announced an extra £16 million for the Police Service of Northern Ireland to cover additional spending costs incurred during the current financial year, particularly in relation to events at the Holy Cross School and continued disturbances in other areas of north Belfast.
At the same time Mr Hume, the former SDLP leader, told Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid it was "the duty of all democratic parties" to support the Police Service and all bodies connected to it.
Mr Hume repeated a familiar argument that consent for policing had always been dependent upon agreement on Northern Ireland's system of government.
That, he said, had now been put in place and powerfully under-scored by the people in the 1998 referendums.
During his turn at the despatch box a short while later the Prime Minister, Mr Blair, said people who had been intimidated into leaving Northern Ireland "should be allowed to return in peace".
Mr Blair was responding to a question from Labour MP Mr Harry Barnes ahead of a debate on the issue of the "exiles" at Westminster this afternoon.
Former Northern Ireland Minister Mr Michael Mates told Mr Blair it was "shameful" his government was considering an amnesty for terrorist fugitives, or "On The Runs" (OTRs) while paramilitary expulsions and so-called "punishment" attacks continued.
Mr Mates challenged Mr Blair to ensure no legislation providing amnesty would be produced without a "guarantee" these activities would be ended.
Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Quentin Davies, went further, when he told Dr Reid the government would have no defence against the charge of "sell out" if it proceeded to grant the OTRs an amnesty before IRA decommissioning had been completed.
Dr Reid told MPs savings made as a result of the peace process far out-weighed the cost to the Ministry of Defence of the Bloody Sunday inquiry.
Responding to a question from the Rev Ian Paisley, Ms Kennedy confirmed the extra £16 million for policing costs on top of last August's £10 billion addition to the original £656 million police grant for the year.
Pressed about the government's commitment to phase-out the Full Time Reserve, Dr Reid said Ministers would make their decisions in the light of the Chief Constable's review of the issue in April.
Meanwhile, the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee said yesterday that Sinn Féin MPS - who were recently granted office facilities and allowances at Westminster - should be required to list their interests in the House of Commons Register.