§ Mr. Litterickasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many of the people recruited by Civil Service departments in Northern Ireland during the last 12 months for which figures are available were Catholics, Protestants or neither.
§ Mr. Charles R. Morris:The Civil Service commission, which is responsible for all centrally run competitions, does not, nor do those Departments in Northern Ireland which recruit staff for the Home Civil Service under powers delegated by the Commission, ask a candidate to disclose his religious beliefs. Such information is unnecessary, since the selection of staff for appointment to the Home Civil Service is made on merit by fair and open competition. The information for which my hon. Friend has asked is not therefore available.