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| Hain facing committee questions | Hain facing committee questions |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The secretary of state has told NI politicians 24 November is an "absolute deadline" for progress. | |
| At a meeting of the Preparation for Government Committee Peter Hain said, based on past experience, failure could mean no assembly for about ten years. | |
| The body is intended to prepare for a return to devolved government. | The body is intended to prepare for a return to devolved government. |
| Meanwhile, the government has announced the dates for talks between the two prime ministers and local parties in Scotland next month. | Meanwhile, the government has announced the dates for talks between the two prime ministers and local parties in Scotland next month. |
| Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern will chair discussions in St Andrew's from 11-13 October. | Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern will chair discussions in St Andrew's from 11-13 October. |
| Last month, Mr Hain told the Preparation for Government Committee he did not see their role as scrutinising government policy or quizzing ministers on expressed views. | Last month, Mr Hain told the Preparation for Government Committee he did not see their role as scrutinising government policy or quizzing ministers on expressed views. |
| HAIN AT ASSEMBLY: LIVE FROM 1000 BST | HAIN AT ASSEMBLY: LIVE FROM 1000 BST |
| Click here to watch Peter Hain answer questions live at the Assembly in broadband | Click here to watch Peter Hain answer questions live at the Assembly in broadband |
| Click here to watch in narrow band quality | Click here to watch in narrow band quality |
| However, he later agreed to discuss law and order matters with committee members. | However, he later agreed to discuss law and order matters with committee members. |
| Mr Hain has said attempts to restore devolution would probably be put back until 2009 if the 24 November deadline is missed. | Mr Hain has said attempts to restore devolution would probably be put back until 2009 if the 24 November deadline is missed. |
| He said the two governments were unlikely to make further attempts until after the next British and Irish general elections. | He said the two governments were unlikely to make further attempts until after the next British and Irish general elections. |
| The secretary of state said intensive political talks involving the two prime ministers would be held outside Northern Ireland next month. | The secretary of state said intensive political talks involving the two prime ministers would be held outside Northern Ireland next month. |
| Devolution was suspended in October 2002 over allegations of a republican spy ring. | Devolution was suspended in October 2002 over allegations of a republican spy ring. |
| The court case that followed collapsed and one of those charged, Denis Donaldson later admitted working as a British agent. | The court case that followed collapsed and one of those charged, Denis Donaldson later admitted working as a British agent. |