In its response to a three-month consultation which closed in February, the NIO said a majority of respondents “mainly support, or at least accept the need for, an extension of non-jury trial provisions in Northern Ireland”.

However, it said the UK Government “remains fully committed to seeing an end to non-jury trials in Northern Ireland, when safe and compatible with interests of justice”.

Non-jury trial provisions are used in a small number of cases (around two per cent of Crown Court cases) where there is a risk of jury intimidation by paramilitaries.

The NIO said last month’s shooting of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee and the detonation of a car bomb outside Derry Courthouse in January highlighted the “intent and capability of violent dissident republicans”.

The non-jury trial provisions under the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007, which technically replaced the old Diplock courts, have to be renewed every two years.