There's a major political row brewing over the way the Department of Justice Minister is to be appointed in the future.

Already, the sitting Justice Minister, Alliance Leader David Ford has offered to resign next year so what he has called "the current compromise" can continue.

Justice has been devolved to Stormont since April 2010, with David Ford elected by cross-community vote, but he has said he will step down if it prevents the current deal - expiring next May - seeing the position being dissolved.

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Justice Spokesperson Basil McCrea has already commented on the role played by both Alliance and the DUP in the Assembly Committee, which is examining how the Justice Minister should be appointed in future.

The Lagan Valley MLA said: "Several important points emerge from the submissions made to the Assembly Executive and Review Committee with regard to how to appoint a permanent Justice Minister.

"David Ford's announcement that he would quit the position next year to ensure the Executive survives may sound magnanimous, but is in reality the Alliance Party being self-serving as ever," he insisted.

"The Ulster Unionist Party has made it clear that we believe there should be a reduction in the number of Ministries, many of which have overlapping responsibilities.

"The review into how the Justice Minister should be appointed in future provides the Assembly with the opportunity to reduce the size of Government in Northern Ireland, and ensure it is more streamlined and efficient, and better able to meet the needs of the local electorate," he said, adding an attack on the DUP.

"The role played by the DUP in the Assembly Executive & Review Committee should not go unnoticed.

"No doubt the DUP have concocted another deal with Sinn Fein and this demonstrates once again why we have been calling for changes to the way the Executive operates," he concluded.

(BMcC)