The 120 Orange Order delegates contribute to the UUP

It is understood the party has threatened to cut the number of delegates the Order can send to its annual meeting next month because of a row over the payment of membership fees.

Party chairman James Cooper said the meeting was amicable, but would not be drawn on any details.

The Orange Order sends about 120 delegates to the 900-strong Ulster Unionist ruling council.

It is a relationship which has come under increasing focus because of the split within the party between the pro and anti Agreement factions.

Orange sources suggest the delegates met just over a week ago and approved a position of no confidence in the party leader David Trimble

David Trimble's leadership has proved contentious within the Order

Each Orange delegate pays about �60 a year to the party but so many have failed to pay that party officials have threatened to reduce the number attending the annual meeting next month.

However, senior orangemen argue that this could break party rules.

It is understood a number of constituency associations are in a similar position to the Orange Order.

It is understood that Friday was the deadline for payment and the issue is likely to be discussed at a meeting of party officers later in the day.

Friday's meeting came after Orange Order representatives attended a DUP reception at Stormont earlier this week to be briefed on the party's proposals for restoring devolution.

An Orange Order spokesman confirmed that the relationship between the UUP and the Order would be discussed at the next meeting of the Grand Lodge, which is due to take place at the end of March.

In 1999, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble established the Orange-Unionist Commission to consider how the 100-year-old links between the party and the order could be changed as part of a process of modernisation and democratisation.

The Orange Order was instrumental in establishing the Ulster Unionist Council in 1905.

The link with the order has historically been beneficial to the Ulster Unionist Party, in terms of electoral support and organisational matters.

When Mr Trimble was elected leader of the Ulster Unionist Party in 1995, his role as an Orangeman was seen to be crucial. Many of the party's MPs are also senior Orangemen.

But since then he has increasingly found himself at loggerheads with more conservative and hardline voters on the council, many of whom are within the Orange bloc.