Karen Bradley spent just 70 nights in NI during year and a half as SoS

Mrs Bradley, who was widely criticised for her approach to the job, was in post from January 2017 until July of this year - a period of 562 days.

However, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has confirmed during that time she spent just 70 nights in Northern Ireland.

Responding to a Freedom of Information request, the NIO said: “According to our records, Karen Bradley spent 70 nights in Northern Ireland while Secretary of State.”

By contrast, it is understood that Mrs Bradley’s successor in the role, Julian Smith, has spent about half of the working week in Northern Ireland since his appointment in July.

In March, Mrs Bradley responded to criticism of how little time she was spending in Northern Ireland by saying that she tried to spend one day a week in the Province.

She argued that the number of tight Commons votes - a consequence of a hung parliament - meant that she needed to be in Westminster more than her predecessors.

However, while on some occasions Mrs Bradley was required to be in London for votes, she found time for other pursuits.

While secretary of state, she personally accepted more than £8,000 in gifts, including corporate FA Cup Final tickets, tickets to a music festival, high-end Formula 1 tickets, Alton Towers tickets and Premiership tickets with hospitality.

Last week the Institute for Government proposed a solution to the problem of the secretary of state having to stay in London for long periods due to parliamentary business.

The think tank said: “It is also important that the proposed secretary of state should be able to spend a significant amount of time in Northern Ireland – however tight the parliamentary arithmetic and demands in Westminster may be.

“The two major UK parties should agree automatic pairing for the NI secretary to allow that to happen.”

Pairing is the Commons system whereby if an MP cannot attend the chamber for serious reasons - such as a bereavement or serious medical condition - the whips agree on a cross-party basis that someone from the other side will not vote, so as to neutralise the effect of their absence.

The report also implicitly criticised the calibre of some recent secretaries of state.

It said: “The Northern Ireland secretary is an important job in the UK government – but prime ministers do not always treat it as such.

“Prime ministers should consider carefully who they make their Northern Ireland Secretary.

“It should be regarded as a role for a (relatively) senior secretary of state who is able to command respect across the political and civil society spectrum in Northern Ireland, and able to fairly represent their views back in London.

“Appointments must be made with regard for the interests of Northern Ireland, not just who the Prime Minster needs to accommodate in Cabinet.”