NI secretary defends refusal to make policy decisions

Mr Heaton-Harris has been criticised by for putting all the responsibility on civil servants

The Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris has defended his refusal to make major policy decisions in the absence of an Executive.

He has been criticised by Stormont politicians for putting too much responsibility on civil servants.

Speaking an event at the Institute for Government he said he had no powers to step in but if he did that would look "remarkably like direct rule".

He added this had not had "great outcomes" previously.

"It's something I'm really very wary of," he added.

Nationalist parties have previously said there can be no return to direct rule if the DUP refuses to reform an Executive.

Instead they have called for joint authority between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

'Fast and loose'

Last week, Mr Heaton-Harris formally asked Stormont civil servants to set out options for raising more public revenue.

He had to set a budget for this financial year as there is no functioning government at Stormont.

SDLP assembly member Matthew O'Toole said the DUP's boycott of devolved government in Northern Ireland had given the UK government the "power to make these decisions".

"They (the DUP) are the ones whose boycott is giving a Tory secretary of state the ability to threaten austerity measures on people in Northern Ireland," he said.

Despite criticism, Mr Heaton-Harris denied that the move was to increase pressure on the DUP to restore power-sharing.

Following this, Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill accused Mr Heaton-Harris of playing "playing fast and loose" with the public.

Meanwhile, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said if the move was an attempt to apply pressure on his party to return to Stormont it was "not working"

He said Mr Heaton-Harris has a responsibility to make the case to treasury about the pressure on public services..