Members of the House of Lords look set to back legislation aimed at paving the way for the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission) Bill would establish under international law an independent commission with monitoring functions and amend rules about exclusion from ministerial office in the North.
The independent body would monitor commitments on paramilitary activity.
The Bill would also change rules on "censure" resolutions in the Northern Ireland Assembly and make provision about reduction of remuneration of Assembly members.
Lords leader Lord Williams of Mostyn told the House of Lords yesterday: "What we are looking for is the generation of the necessary prerequisite of trust and confidence for the early elections which I know we wall want to see."
Lord Mostyn said that since postponement of the May elections in Northern Ireland, much had been done to establish conditions for elections to "stable, devolved institutions" as soon as possible. He told the Lords: "We, with our colleagues in the Irish Government, have pledged to continue the implementation of the Good Friday agreement, including those elements of the Hillsborough package which are not conditional on an end to paramilitary activity."
The commission would have four independent members - two appointed by the British government, including one from Northern Ireland, one by the Irish Government and a member from the US.
Outlining the body's main functions, Lord Williams said it would examine and report on paramilitary activity and consider progress on security normalisation.
"I believe that we have so far done all that we sensibly and prudently could commensurate with the security position to give effect to our commitment," he said.
"We were prepared to go ahead with a substantial programme of security normalisation in the event that necessary commitments were made on an end to paramilitary activity and in the light of our continuing assessment of the threat."
But Lord Williams stressed: "...one cannot, on the one hand, expect to have the fruits of democratic elections and the benefits of democracy and on the other hand continue behind the scenes and in the shadows to continue with paramilitary activity".
The IMC would also be responsible for investigating conduct in the political field, he said.
Crossbencher Lord Kilclooney opposed the Bill because he felt it was a breach of the 1998 Belfast Agreement. "I fear I reflect the broad view across Northern Ireland that this Bill is unnecessary," he said.
Lord Kilclooney resented the fact the Northern Secretary must act within recommendations from a commission made up of foreigners rather than from the Assembly. He described the Bill as "a slap in the face" for the police in Northern Ireland because "it is not their advice the Secretary of State will be acting upon but the advice of a commission comprising of people from other countries".
Liberal Democrat Lord Smith of Clifton said the Bill was another confidence-building measure towards the re-election of the Assembly. He warned that any more procrastination would be "fatal" for a devolved and democratic government. "The passage of this Bill will facilitate the calling of elections."
For the Tories, Lord Glentoran said his party did not oppose the establishment of the commission but would seek changes to the legislation.
The Bill was given an unopposed second reading.