Since 1998, the political of Northern Ireland has devolved government within the United Kingdom. The government and Parliament of the United Kingdom are responsible for reserved and excepted matters. Reserved matters are a list of policy area, which the Westminster Parliament may devolve to the Northern Ireland Assembly at some time in future. The Northern Ireland Office is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who sits in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. Much of the population of Northern Ireland identifies with one of two different ideologies, unionism and Irish nationalism Northern Ireland Office represents the British government in Northern Ireland on reserved matters.