Unionists have said the first meeting in Belfast of the Northern Ireland committee of MPs has strengthened the union.
The committee, comprising all 18 Northern MPs in the House of Commons, along with up to 25 others, held its first scheduled meeting in Belfast City Hall yesterday. It has traditionally been opposed by the SDLP.
The meeting discussed poverty alleviation measures, social exclusion and also allowed MPs to directly question Northern Ireland Office Ministers.
Key figures from the Democratic Unionists and the UUP hailed the meeting as an underpinning of Westminster's sovereignty in Northern Ireland.
DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson claimed it was the result of lobbying by his party. The East Belfast MP said it was "utterly ridiculous" that the grand committee met exclusively in London.
"The DUP has long wanted to see the Northern Ireland grand committee treated in exactly the same way as its Scottish and Welsh counterparts," he said.
"If Edinburgh and Cardiff are good enough for the Scottish and Welsh grand committees then why was Belfast not suitable for ours? The fact of the matter is that up until now, the [ British] government acceded to the intransigent attitude of nationalists. The DUP were determined that this outrageous anomaly should come to an end and longstanding DUP pressure, including during the talks at St Andrews, has paid off. I am glad that the government have seen sense and smashed the SDLP's veto on this issue."
Ulster Unionist MP Lady Sylvia Hermon said "it was good for the people to see such a meeting of key importance" being staged in Belfast.
The SDLP questioned unionist interpretation of the meeting. Party leader Mark Durkan and deputy leader Alasdair McDonnell were in attendance.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Durkan said: "The SDLP does not have a problem with the grand committee meeting in Belfast - provided that nobody is trying to use it as an alternative to devolution like the UUP once wanted to.
"It is only with the restoration of the Good Friday agreement's institutions that we will have accountable, democratic government. A grand committee - whether it meets in London , Belfast or anywhere else - is no substitute for that."