'Progress' over loyalist weapons

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The decommissioning commission is making "meaningful progress" towards the handing over of weapons by loyalists, Shaun Woodward has said.

The Secretary of State was asked in the House of Commons to justify the extension last month of its decommissioning amnesty period.

He said: "Given the specific advice I'm being given, they are currently engaged in meaningful dialogue."

He added this would result in weapons being "removed from the streets".

"If that is our goal, it would be very foolish of me to ignore that very strong advice."

In December, the government gave loyalist paramilitaries another year to decommission their weapons.

Shaun Woodward had earlier in 2008 issued a warning to the UDA and UVF that the structures governing decommissioning were "time limited".

It has been 14 years since loyalist paramilitary groups declared their ceasefires.