The British government is believed to be considering significant concessions to unionists over the future of policing in Northern Ireland, by delaying, amending and dropping some of the more contentious proposals of the Patten Commission.
The Irish Times understands that the Chief Constable of the RUC and the Ulster Unionist Party have separately told ministers it would be "impractical" to implement the proposal for a new police board, drawing its 19 members from parties participating in the Northern Ireland executive, until a IRA decommissioning has started.
A senior unionist said: "We simply couldn't have Sinn Fein participating in running the police service while the armaments and paramilitary structures remain intact."
And there is pressure on the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and the Secretary of State, Mr Peter Mandelson, to abandon the proposed "Northern Ireland Police Service" as a replacement title for the Royal Ulster Constabulary, in favour of some variation of the existing title.
Sensitivity surrounds the issue, with government sources anxious to avoid any controversy which might upset the unfolding peace plan agreed between the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein in the Mitchell review.
However, it is also clear that unionist strategists believe changes in key elements of the Patten proposals could prove crucial to Mr David Trimble's attempt to win the backing of the Ulster Unionist Council for the policy change required to permit the creation of the power-sharing executive without any start to IRA decommissioning.
The formal consultation period on Patten is scheduled to end on November 30th, with ministers expected to report to the House of Commons on their ideas for implementation before Christmas.
And the Irish Government, the SDLP and Sinn Fein are proceeding in anticipation of the full implementation of the commission's recommendations as soon as possible thereafter.
However, unionist sources appear confident that the highly contentious proposal to create local district partnership boards - which Mr David Trimble and others have claimed could lead to provision of some local police "services" by paramilitaries - will be dropped in favour of the retention of the existing voluntary community and police liaison committee structure.
And while expressing no certainty about the final decision on title, they clearly anticipate at minimum a government decision permitting the new service to retain the existing insignia, albeit possibly with the harp, shamrock and crown reconfigured to sit alongside one another.