Members of the NI Assembly will not have a direct ‘veto’ over the imposition of EU laws in Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris has confirmed.

Having previously suggested that Westminster would be “bound” to act at the behest of Stormont if concerns were raised, on Tuesday the NI Secretary conceded that ultimately it would be up to Westminster to decide what action was appropriate.

Appearing before the European Scrutiny Committee, Mr Heaton-Harris was pressed by the DUP’s Gavin Robinson to clarify the situation ahead of a Commons’ vote on the Windsor Framework arrangements today.

Asked if it was accurate to describe any veto as being in the hands of the UK Government, and not the NI Assembly, Mr Heaton-Harris said the concerns of MLAs could "directly lead to a [government] veto,” rather than Stormont having the power to act decisively.

TUV leader Jim Allister has hit out at the UUP for the party’s acceptance of the Windsor Framework as a “stepping stone” in resolving the Brexit difficulties.

Mr Allister said the decision was "disappointing, if not entirely surprising”.

He also said the Ulster Unionists were "fundamentally wrong" to believe that a return to power-sharing at Stormont could secure further changes, and said the UUP had failed to “grasp the constitutional significance of the EU sovereignty grab at the heart of the protocol.”

Meanwhile, a group of Conservative MPs have labelled a key element of the new Brexit deal "practically useless".

The European Research Group (ERG) said and the framework has no exit, other than through a highly complex legal process.