§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether he will make arrangements for earlier retirement for Northern Ireland civil servants who joined the Northern Ireland Civil Service in preference to the British Civil Service when embarking on their careers and who now find with the prorogation of the Northern Ireland Parliament that certain aspects of their work have been removed and their prospects of promotion reduced;
(2) what consultations he has had with the Northern Ireland Civil Service Association and other representative bodies about the diminution or postponement of promotion prospects in the Northern Ireland Civil Service resulting from the prorogation of the Stormont Parliament and the new arrangements for the Government of Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. David HowellMy right hon. Friend does not foresee any Northern Ireland civil servants being called upon to 269W retire prematurely nor does he accept that promotion prospects have been damaged, as a result of the prorogation of the Northern Ireland Parliament. Full discussion on the effects of this are taking place through the normal channels of the Whitley machinery.