Devolved Government
Roles of Northern Ireland Office Ministers, 28 June (2007)

On 27 June 2007 Tony Blair, then the British Prime Minister and leader of the British Labour Party, resigned and was succeeded in both roles by Gordon Brown. A cabinet reshuffle was carried out and on 28 June Shaun Woodward became the new Secretary of State, with the following ministerial portfolios at the Northern Ireland Office (NIO).

Shaun Woodward MP, as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, retained overall control of:

• policing
• security policy
• prisons
• criminal justice
• international relations;
• taxation;
• national insurance;
• regulation of financial services; and
• regulation of telecommunications and broadcasting.

Paul Goggins MP, appointed as Minister of State on 28 June 2007, retained responsibility for:

• security;
  
• policing;
  
• prisons.
  

* Following lengthy political negotiations an agreement was reached in February 2010 whereby powers relating to security and justice power were to be devolved from Westminster to the Northern Ireland Assembly by 12 April 2010. On that day David Ford (APNI) was elected by the Northern Ireland Assembly as the new Minister of Justice. As a consequence on this date all responsibilites for these matters were transferred from the NIO to the new Ministry of Justice. Shaun Woodward and Paul Goggins remained in their respective posts but with their responsibilities no longer encompassing security and justice matters. Both remained in office until May 2010 when the result of the British election meant the formation of a new government at Westminster.