The British government has agreed to withdraw the power to review "other expressions of cultural identity" from the proposed Northern Ireland Parades Commission, amid mounting criticism in the House of Lords.
The decision means that contentious issues such as the flying of the Union Jack and the Tricolour, and street murals across Northern Ireland, will not now come under the auspices of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Bill.
In a debate on the Bill last night, the Junior Northern Ireland Minister, Lord Dubs, agreed the proposal had "raised fears on one side of the community and are not considered useful by the other". He accepted that clause three, relating to expressions of cultural identity, "does not have the sort of cross-community support which it would need". It is understood the clause will be removed when the Bill moves into the House of Commons.
Lord Dubs also accepted, in principle, calls from Tory peers to restrict the powers of the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, to limit the ban on parades to those which threaten "serious" public disorder, damage or disruption.
The Northern Ireland Office said last night the government would seek "a number of other amendments" to the Bill so that the Commission is not concentrated solely on the parades issue.