Legislation to enact the Patten Commission's proposals on policing in Northern Ireland will not be introduced before the new year, according to the North's Security Minister, Mr Adam Ingram.
The British government is still "in listening mode" with the public consultation period on the report continuing until the end of next month, he said. The legislation necessary to enact sections of the report would not materialise this year although a report would be made to Westminster on conclusion of the consultation period.
"A report to parliament does not necessarily mean the publication of what will undoubtedly be a very complex piece of legislation. That will take some time to bring together on the back of the consultation," Mr Ingram said on BBC Radio Ulster.
The British government had accepted the broad thrust of the report, but it remained to be seen how much of the report and its 175 recommendations would be implemented.
A campaign to defend the RUC name and badge has been mounted, and Mr Ingram said the "strength and feeling" of views expressed by groups such as the Police Federation, RUC officers and families of officers killed would be listened to.
"We have to take into account what we are seeking to achieve here for the betterment of policing in Northern Ireland. That is what, I would suggest, everyone who has a love of law and order wants to see. No one can argue against better policing. It's what I want to see in Northern Ireland, in my own community in Scotland and throughout the UK."
The anti-agreement unionist parties, the DUP, Northern Ireland Unionist Party, the United Unionist Assembly Party and the UK Unionist Party, last night staged their second rally in support of the RUC in Coleraine.
Addressing the crowd the UUAP Assembly member, Mr Fraser Agnew, warned that if the Patten proposals were implemented in their entirety they would pose a threat to the stability, existence and integrity of Northern Ireland.
"No one will object to measures aimed at improving training and management, but proposals that are aimed at appeasing terrorists are not acceptable since those very same terrorists will still hold on to their weapons and explosives," he said.
He criticised the Patten recommendations for the formation of district partnership boards, because the boards would be open to influence by paramilitaries.
"The report is a blueprint aimed at appeasing republicans and yet again is another attack on our Britishness. Who but a daft Englishman would dream up such an idiotic scheme and who but a weak unionist would help to pave the way for it?"
Meanwhile Sinn Fein has been criticised for writing to schools in Co Down demanding an end to visits from RUC officers.
Mr Mick Murphy, the party Assembly member for South Down, stood by the letters. But the SDLP Assembly member for the area, Mr Eamonn O'Neill, said it was totally unacceptable for political parties to interfere with school matters.