The controversy over the former prison site arose during Northern Ireland Question Time in Westminster yesterday when Mr Robinson challenged the Government to deliver on its 2003 "promise" to gift Ulster Army bases to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Secretary of State Shaun Woodward deflected that question by saying that there had never been a guarantee for more sites to be transferred.

He added: "There is disappointment that there continues to be disagreement about, for example, the Maze site which was gifted back in 2002."

Mr Woodward said that "regrettably" the site continues to be a source of controversy.

"At the end of the day, if the national stadium project were to be lost from the Maze it would almost certainly mean that Northern Ireland would lose its opportunity to be one of those centres which will be focused in the Olympics in 2012," he added.

The debate happened on the same day as chairman of the London Organising Committee, Seb Coe, flew into Northern Ireland to consult locals about the 2012 Olympics in London. He said the consultations were a vital part of the committee's work "to bring the games direct to people living outside of London and to explain the opportunities they offer to the whole of the UK".

In a further twist to the Maze debate, a top civil servant suggested that the project would be much more affordable if there was a relaxation of planning constraints at the Maze. This could cut public expenditure on the proposed stadium by at least £150 million, the senior civil servant said.

Limitations on the type and scale of building allowed on the 360-acre former prison site near Lisburn has put an effective cap on the amount of money the private sector is willing to invest, according to Leo O'Reilly, who assessed the economic feasibility of the 38,500-seater arena for rugby, soccer and gaelic games.

Mr O'Reilly, the second Permanent Secretary at the Finance Department, told MLAs if the project was given the go-ahead tomorrow the selected developer would contribute £55 million to the stadium cost in return for 300 acres of the remaining land to build on.

However, the official said he would expect that sum to be at least quadrupled if a decision was taken to lift planning restrictions on the site.

There is now growing speculation that Executive ministers are poised to pull the plug on the Maze proposal.

Mr O'Reilly said he had never known of a project that had been rejected by the accounting officers at three separate departments to be given the go ahead.

However, he conceded the economic prospects would be greatly boosted if special legislation was brought in that would allow extra builds.

The official was also highly sceptical that the development could generate 10,000 jobs for the area.