Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman could be given access to sensitive files held by the security services, Tony Blair has suggested.
In a written statement to MPs designed to help Sinn Fein endorse the police in Northern Ireland for the first time in the party's history, the Prime Minister stressed that, under new national security arrangements, MI5 and the Police Service of Northern Ireland would be completely distinct and separate bodies.
No police officers would be seconded to or under the control of MI5.
All necessary interaction on issues such as international terrorism between the two organisations would be by way of liaison, with a small number of police officers based at PSNI headquarters in contact with the security service.
Mr Blair also announced that the Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, would retain her statutory powers to hold to account all police officers and have access to all information held by the police.
But he added: "The Ombudsman's office and the security service will agree arrangements for the Ombudsman's access to sensitive information held by the service, where necessary for the discharge of the Ombudsman's statutory duties."
Mr Blair also announced plans to invite Liberal Democrat peer Lord Carlile, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, to review annually the operation of the new national security arrangements which are due to come into effect in Northern Ireland later this year.
"In the course of his review, he will consult the Chief Constable, the Policing Board and the Police Ombudsman, as well as taking into account any views which the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister and, in due course, Justice Ministers may put to him," he said.
In negotiations with the British Government over Christmas, Sinn Fein had been anxious to ensure that the Police Service of Northern Ireland and MI5 would have distinct roles.
Republicans warned that if, as was originally planned in the St Andrews Agreement, MI5 and the PSNI were to adopt a more integrated approach to national intelligence work, the security service would be able to pull the police service's strings and it would create a force within a force.
