§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials from the Foreign Office have been seconded to the Northern Ireland Office over the last year.
§ Mr. HattersleyI understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that the Northern Ireland Office, as a newly created Department, has naturally drawn staff from many United Kingdom Government Departments and from the Northern Ireland Civil Service. My Department has been happy to contribute to this process since its inception. In the past year seven officials have been seconded to the Northern Ireland Office from the FCO. Most of these were normal replacements.