British government plans to retain search, arrest and entry powers for British troops in Northern Ireland despite the improved security situation came under fire in Westminster today.
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said that from August next year the British military would take on a "fundamentally different" role and routine military support for the police would cease.
However, soldiers would remain available for "certain specialised tasks" in support of the police, to maintain public order and carry out searches, he said.
Opening second reading of the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill, Mr Hain said: "The Bill provides these powers. It creates powers of entry, search, arrest and seizure necessary for the military to carry out their role effectively."
SDLP leader Mark Durkan warned, however, that the measure was "pregnant with implications and potential complications" for the devolution of policing and justice.
"These powers were previously contained in the Terrorism Act 2000. The British government made commitments to repeal those provisions.
"This Bill effectively recycles the very powers the government had previously committed to repeal," he protested. Mr Hain said only eight of the 48 provisions in the previous legislation had been put in the Bill and the vast majority had lapsed.
The powers were the "minimum necessary" to manage parades, tackle organised crime and terrorism and other outbreaks of violence. They would be reviewed each year and repealed when judged to be no longer necessary.
The SDLP's Eddie McGrady said the move potentially created a "hugely difficult political situation" as the actions of the army would not be subject to the same scrutiny as the police. Mr Hain said the objective was not to have the army involved at all.
But where they were, in "isolated" incidents, it would be in support of the police. The Bill also moves towards a presumption of trial by jury with stronger safeguards for juror anonymity.
PA