The British government has published legislative proposals on policing which it hopes will convince Sinn Féin to accept fully the PSNI and help relaunch the political process at Stormont.
The Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, published separate texts yesterday, the first outlining what it plans to legislate for following a series of reviews. These enhance powers of the Policing Board and the Police Ombudsman while clarifying the position of the Secretary of State and the Chief Constable.
But the second refers to possible amendments allowing former prisoners to serve on District Policing Partnerships (DPPs) which will help provide local policing accountability when they start work in the new year. Another draft amendment relates to the status of the four sub-groups of the DPP in Belfast. This proposal, if enacted, would establish local policing partnerships in west and north Belfast, among other areas of the city, which would be significantly more independent than the current legislation envisages.
Crucially, the British government said it views these proposals as unworkable in the absence of "acts of completion" on the part of the paramilitaries.
That phrase was first used by the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, in his key address in Belfast last month. In demanding an end to all paramilitary activity, he offered rapid implementation of outstanding aspects of the Belfast Agreement should the paramilitaries make clear that their campaigns were over.
Action on these politically sensitive issues surrounding the DPPs are seen as crucial if Sinn Féin is to take its seats on the Policing Board which it has boycotted since the board was established last November to run the newly-formed Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The proposals follow the Weston Park talks in Staffordshire last year and a series of consultations between the parties hosted by the two governments.
These form the basis of efforts by Dublin and London to revive the political process. Direct rule from Westminster was reimposed last month following the collapse of trust among the parties in response to allegations of paramilitary spying at Stormont.
Some 16 weeks will be needed for all the proposals to progress through parliament. If they gain widespread acceptance it could pave the way to restoration of devolution at Stormont and confirm fresh Assembly elections in time for the May deadline next year.
Policing has been subject to a series of reviews since the formation of the PSNI and the board last year.
One review carried out by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, Mr Dan Crompton, was published earlier this month.
Yesterday's proposals follow another review by the security minister, Ms Jane Kennedy, while a third report is expected early next month. It is being prepared by the Policing Oversight Commissioner, Mr Tom Constantine.
Publishing the texts yesterday, Mr Murphy made clear that the initiative followed the promises made in the implementation plan agreed at Weston Park.
"In the revised Implementation Plan, we committed to consider these matters further in the context of the review.
"Our consideration has covered both how these issues might be dealt with and whether the time was right to do so."
He continued: "We are not yet persuaded that the time is right to introduce changes in these areas. In particular, the removal of the disqualification of ex-prisoners could, in our view happen only in the context of acts of completion, such as those envisaged by the Prime Minister in his speech in Belfast last month."