<P> The devolved administration was suspended several times (especially between 15 October 2002 and 8 May 2007) because the Ulster Unionist Party and Democratic Unionist Party were uncomfortable being in government with Sinn Féin when the Provisional Irish Republican Army had failed to decommission its arms fully and continued its criminal activities . On each of these occasions, the responsibilities of the ministers in the Executive then returned to the Secretary of State and his ministers . During these periods, in addition to administration of the region, the Secretary of State was also heavily involved in the negotiations with all parties to restore devolved government . </P> <P> Power was again devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 8 May 2007 . The Secretary of State retained responsibility for policing and justice until most of those powers were devolved on 12 April 2010 . </P> <P> Colour key Conservative Labour </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Portrait </Th> <Th> Name </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Term of office </Th> <Th> Party </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Prime Minister </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> William Whitelaw MP for Penrith and The Border </Td> <Td> 24 March 1972 </Td> <Td> 2 December 1973 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Edward Heath </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Francis Pym MP for Cambridgeshire </Td> <Td> 2 December 1973 </Td> <Td> 4 March </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Merlyn Rees MP for Leeds South </Td> <Td> 5 March </Td> <Td> 10 September 1976 </Td> <Td> Labour </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Harold Wilson </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Roy Mason MP for Barnsley </Td> <Td> 10 September 1976 </Td> <Td> 4 May 1979 </Td> <Td> Labour </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> James Callaghan </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Humphrey Atkins MP for Spelthorne </Td> <Td> 5 May 1979 </Td> <Td> 14 September 1981 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Margaret Thatcher </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Jim Prior MP for Lowestoft (until 1983) MP for Waveney (from 1983) </Td> <Td> 14 September 1981 </Td> <Td> 11 September 1984 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Douglas Hurd MP for Witney </Td> <Td> 11 September 1984 </Td> <Td> 3 September 1985 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Tom King MP for Bridgwater </Td> <Td> 3 September 1985 </Td> <Td> 24 July 1989 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Peter Brooke MP for Cities of London and Westminster South </Td> <Td> 24 July 1989 </Td> <Td> 10 April 1992 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> John Major </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sir Patrick Mayhew MP for Tunbridge Wells </Td> <Td> 10 April 1992 </Td> <Td> 2 May 1997 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Mo Mowlam MP for Redcar </Td> <Td> 3 May 1997 </Td> <Td> 11 October 1999 </Td> <Td> Labour </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Tony Blair </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Peter Mandelson MP for Hartlepool </Td> <Td> 11 October 1999 </Td> <Td> 24 January 2001 </Td> <Td> Labour </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> John Reid MP for Hamilton North and Bellshill </Td> <Td> 25 January 2001 </Td> <Td> 24 October 2002 </Td> <Td> Labour </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Paul Murphy MP for Torfaen </Td> <Td> 24 October 2002 </Td> <Td> 6 May 2005 </Td> <Td> Labour </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Peter Hain MP for Neath (also Welsh Secretary) </Td> <Td> 6 May 2005 </Td> <Td> 27 June 2007 </Td> <Td> Labour </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Shaun Woodward MP for St Helens South </Td> <Td> 28 June 2007 </Td> <Td> 11 May </Td> <Td> Labour </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Gordon Brown </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Owen Paterson MP for North Shropshire </Td> <Td> 12 May </Td> <Td> 4 September 2012 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> David Cameron (Coalition) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Theresa Villiers MP for Chipping Barnet </Td> <Td> 4 September 2012 </Td> <Td> 14 July 2016 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> David Cameron (II) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> James Brokenshire MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup </Td> <Td> 14 July 2016 </Td> <Td> 8 January 2018 </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Theresa May </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> Karen Bradley MP for Staffordshire Moorlands </Td> <Td> 8 January 2018 </Td> <Td> Incumbent </Td> <Td> Conservative </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who is the head of state in northern ireland