§ Mr. Bellasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (a) which public authorities in Northern Ireland have been investigated by the Fair Employment Agency, (b) how many complaints and investigations have been made for each such authority, (c) what were the nature of any investigations and (d) what were the findings in each case.
366W
§ Dr. BoysonThe annual reports of the Fair Employment Agency contain tables indicating the numbers of complaints made against public bodies and I have been advised by the chairman of the Fair Employment Agency that the agency has completed section 12 investigations into the following public authorities:
- Department of Health and Social Services (Enniskillen)
- Northern Ireland Civil Service
- Northern Ireland Electricity Service
- Northern Ireland Housing Executive
- Fire Authority for Northern Ireland
- Southern Health and Social Services Board
- The Ambulance Services of the four Health Boards
- Cookstown District Council
- Ulster Museum
With the exception of the first investigation report which was not published because of agency policy at that time and the Cookstown district council report which has yet to be published, the Fair Employment Agency has published separate reports on each of these investigations. Copies of these and the agency's Annual Reports are held in the Library.
The agency's annual reports do not identify bodies investigated under section 24 of the Fair Employment Act, although the annual reports do contain summaries and tables of complaints made. I understand the agency is of the view that it would not generally be in the best interests of its work in this area to release the names of those public authorities against which claims of unlawful discrimination under section 24 have been made. The latest figures supplied by the agency indicate that between 1 December 1976 and 23 June 1986 the agency initiated investigations into 301 complaints made against public bodies under section 24 of the Act. Of these 74 were subsequently withdrawn, 15 were discontinued by virtue of section 42 of the Act, there were 21 findings of discrimination and 148 of no discrimination. Forty-three complaints are under investigation.
§ Mr. Bellasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the vocational organisations for which the Fair Employment Agency (Northern Ireland) has completed or initiated formal investigations; whether these investigations were under section 12 or section 24 of the Fair Employment Act; and what are the compositional analyses by religion, sex, length of service and occupation, including apprenticeships, of the employees of the organisations investigated.
§ Dr. BoysonI have been advised by the chairman of the Fair Employment Agency that there have been no section 12 investigations into vocational organisations. Three investigations, comprising five complaints, have been carried out under section 24. I understand the agency, is of the view that it would not be in the best interests of its work in this area to name the organisations concerned. Section 24 investigations do not involve analyses of the type requested. Commentary on these cases is contained in the agency's annual reports, held in the Library. The relevant references are seventh report pages 34–35; eighth report pages 35–36, 39–40 and nineth report page 10.
§ Mr. Bellasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the fair employment appeals board under part II, section 4 of the Fair Employment Act (Northern Ireland) 1976 was first formally constitued; and if he will name the appellants, numbers and type of appeal, and the outcome in each case of any such appeal since 1976.
367W
§ Dr. BoysonThe fair employment appeals board was first constituted on 2 July 1982. There have been three appeals against directions by the Agency under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976. I refer the hon. Member to page 9 of the eighth annual report of the Fair Employment Agency which is available in the Library and gives information about the employers concerned. As of 30 June 1986 the fair employment appeals board has issued one decision which upholds the earlier decision of the Fair Employment Agency.