Emergency legislation postponing Northern Ireland assembly elections is set to become law after the British government made concessions to critics tonight.
Parliament was given the right to approve any new poll date and a six-month time limit was imposed on the measure as ministers battled to rush it through.
The Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections and Periods of Suspension) Bill won final approval little more than 48 hours after it was introduced. It now goes for Royal Assent.
On Monday, Northern Secretary Paul Murphy said urgency was regrettable but unavoidable to end uncertainty and officially halt the poll - due on May 29th.
The decision - already postponed from May 1st - was taken last week amid allegations of "lack of clarity" in IRA claims of an end to violence.
While the Bill has been progressing, election officials have had to continue making preparations for the vote - leading to costs of up to £4 million.
The concessions were made in the Lords earlier tonight and the Bill was approved by MPs without a vote.
Junior minister Mr Des Browne said MPs' approval would now be needed for any date set by the Northern Ireland Secretary.
He told MPs: "We are aware of and sympathise with the feelings widely expressed that a decision of this sort should not simply pass out of Parliament's hands without further provision for scrutiny once this Bill is through."
"The effect of this amendment is that this House would have the opportunity to debate any calling of an election to the Assembly."
Although the British government has 28 days from the announcement of a fresh date to put it to Parliament, Mr Browne said it would be done "as soon as practicable".
He said the British government believed that setting a deadline for a fresh election would do more harm than good to the peace process but it was right to "set some boundaries" to the Bill.
Ulster Unionist David Burnside said postponing the election was a "tactical error" which signalled "the end of the possibility of devolution in Northern Ireland in the foreseeable future".
PA