Northern Ireland: Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister

HL Deb 21 April 2004 vol 660 c38WA

Lord Eames

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the current number of civil servants directly employed in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in the Northern Ireland Office at Stormont; and [HL2142]

Whether, in the absence of agreed devolution in Northern Ireland, it is their intention to increase or decrease the current number of civil servants in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in the Northern Ireland Office. [HL2143]

Baroness Amos

The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister is a fully functioning department of the Northern Ireland Administration with a wide range of important policy responsibilities as well as a role in providing services to other departments. Many of its functions have a cross-departmental perspective. As at 1 March 2004 there were 383 staff employed on functions of the department and a further 36 staff who were employed by OFMDFM, but outposted to associated bodies.

Following the suspension of the devolved institutions those staff who were engaged on functions directly related to the devolved arrangements such as private offices to Ministers were redeployed to other posts within the department and in other departments of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

There are no plans to alter the size of the department at present.