Answers to some of the key questions surrounding the deal agreed between the UK government and the DUP that could deliver the restoration of power-sharing in Northern Ireland.

What led to the current Stormont stalemate?

During the talks on post-Brexit trading arrangements, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson negotiated the Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU in order to ensure the continued free movement of goods on the island of Ireland.

However, this led to the requirement for checks on goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and was deeply unpopular with unionists, who described it as an Irish Sea border.

After feeling that the government was not responding fast enough to his concerns, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson collapsed the Stormont power-sharing institutions when he withdrew Paul Givan as first minister almost two years ago.

In response, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak negotiated the Windsor Framework with the EU, introducing new rules on the movement of goods and a veto for the implementation of EU law in Northern Ireland.

However, Mr Donaldson insisted this did not go far enough, leading to months of protracted negotiations that have culminated in the Command Paper 'Safeguarding The Union', published today by the UK government.