The British government will more clearly explain within days how Northern Irish politicians can potentially veto new European Union laws, the Northern Ireland Secretary said as London tries to convince unionists to back a new deal with the EU.
Chris Heaton-Harris also said London would seek to provide assurances around Northern Ireland's place within the UK by amending legislation, a process that could take much longer and raises the prospect of a long delay before unionist politicians make up their minds.
The ultimate success of the new deal agreed on Monday to simplify post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland is likely to hinge on whether it convinces the Democratic Unionist Party to return to power-sharing.
The DUP has boycotted the Stormont assembly for over a year in protest at the original post-Brexit checks between Britain and Northern Ireland and has said it will take time to study the new agreement.
While opinion polls have consistently shown a majority of Northern Irish voters - who opposed Brexit - favoured the aim of the original trading arrangements, the checks angered many unionists who see it as undermining the union with Britain.
The deal introduced a new mechanism called the "Stormont brake" that will allow London to stop the application of new or amended EU laws on goods in Northern Ireland if requested by a third of MLAs.
"Just to make sure that we get this exactly right, in the next few days, we're going to codify this," Mr Heaton-Harris told BBC Radio Ulster, referring to the Stormont brake.
"We are giving time and space to the DUP and other parties to digest what's in here, we are going to clarify exactly how the Stormont brake will work and bring forward amendments to the 1998 Northern Ireland Act to absolutely demonstrate that Northern Ireland's place is in the United Kingdom," he added.
