§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to add to the categories of compassionate grounds for facilitating inter-service transfers between the Northern Ireland and home civil service of those civil servants who marry a person resident in Great Britain and vice versa. [42085]
§ Sir John WheelerI have no plans to add to the categories of compassionate grounds for facilitating inter-service transfers. As I said in my reply to the hon. and learned Gentleman on 16 October 1995,Official Report, column 177, the criteria for compassionate transfers between the Northern Ireland civil service and the home civil service include those who need to move to be with their spouse. A civil servant seeking a transfer because of marriage to a person resident in Great Britain or vice versa would be eligible for consideration.
However, movement is dependent on suitable vacancies being available and the recent contraction of both services has reduced opportunities for transfers.