DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson will not 'provide running commentary' on Stormont talks after claims from Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris that 'talks have moved forward substantially'

Asked by the News Letter if this was the case, Sir Jeffrey said: “You’d have to ask Chris Heaton-Harris that.

"We’re not providing a running commentary on talks. We continue to engage with the Government. There remains issues to be resolved and we’ll keep at it until we get a solution.”

In the Commons on Wednesday, the new Shadow Secretary of State Hilary Benn asked questions on the Stormont stalemate.

He said to Mr Heaton-Harris: “The Windsor Framework, which was agreed seven months ago, was a great achievement, but it was also intended to enable the restoration of power sharing in Northern Ireland. That has not happened. What is the Government’s plan?

"The Secretary of State refers to the conversations he is having, but what is the plan to get Stormont back up and running?Mr Heaton-Harris replied: “Currently, there are issues with one particular political party. We are talking to that party on a very regular basis at this point in time.

"Those talks have moved forward substantially, but he would have to check in with the DUP leadership to see if I am correct.

He said that just because Mr Benn “cannot see that does not mean that it is not happening”.

Mr Heaton-Harris said: “One thing I have learned, as I have said many times from this Dispatch Box, is that just because talks are being held in a confidential manner does not mean that they are not taking place and moving forward.”Mr Benn followed up: “The Secretary of State knows that there are concerns in the Unionist community about unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses trading with Great Britain.

"The Government said last month in the border target operating model that they are committed to that access, as we all are, and that, ‘These arrangements will be enshrined and further strengthened in domestic legislation’.”

Mr Benn asked Mr Heaton-Harris could he tell the Commons when that legislation will be introduced.He replied: “Hopefully in very short order, dependent on making sure we have got it exactly right, so it answers the questions and allows Stormont and the Executive to re-form.”

Former secretary of state Julian Smith also posed a question to his successor: “There is a big opportunity over the coming weeks to restore the Northern Ireland Executive. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that key to that is the UK, Dublin and the EU listening harder to the concerns of the DUP about implementation of the Windsor agreement?

Mr Heaton-Harris said Mr Smith was “absolutely right”.

"We have been listening in great detail to [Sir Jeffrey Donaldson], the DUP leader, and his team of negotiators over the course of the summer.

"We have had very detailed negotiations and I believe we are homing in on what is actually required. That might well mean we need conversations elsewhere, but let us see where we get to in the course of the next couple of days.”