HL Deb 06 November 2002 vol 640 cc121-2WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the gender and religious balance of the staff working in the North/South Ministerial Council's secretariat in Armagh; how they were selected; and under what equality legislation.[HL6171]

Lord Williams of Mostyn:

The North/South Ministerial Council's secretariat located in Armagh comprises civil servants drawn from both the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) and the Republic of Ireland's Civil Service. The respective services are responsible for identifying and posting their own staff to the secretariat and for their terms and conditions of employment.

Of the NICS staff posted to the secretariat, nine are female and six are male. Community background information is not maintained at the level requested. All employees working wholly or mainly in Northern Ireland are covered by the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998.