§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the officials in his Department who have declared a current interest; what requirements are placed on officials to declare relevant interests; in what form records of such declarations are kept; and if he will establish a central register of officials' interests. [16887]
§ Sir John WheelerDetails of current interests declared by officials of the various Northern Ireland civil service departments are held on that individual's personal file. A central list of such interests is not held and to obtain this information from personal files would incur disproportionate costs.
Civil servants faced with a conflict of interest must declare their interest to senior management so that senior management can determine how best to proceed. This requirement is set out in the respective management codes of the home civil service and the Northern Ireland civil service covering pay and conditions.
Staff who disclose relevant interests do so on the understanding that the declaration, like all employment matters, is confidential between them and their employer.
As NICS departmental circumstances are so different I would not propose to establish a central register of officials' interests. Officials will continue to register such interests within their own Department, as necessary.