§ 25. Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in reducing discrimination against Catholics in employment since 1979.
§ Mr. ViggersSince the introduction of fair employment legislation in 1976 there have been significant increases in the proportion of Catholics employed in various sectors of employment, most notably in the public sector which accounts for 42 per cent. of Northern Ireland's working population. The proportion of Catholics employed in the public sector as a whole is now more closely in line with their representation in the population. Improvement in the position of Catholics elsewhere in employment has however been less marked and it is this problem that the radical and far-reaching legislation now before Parliament is largely designed to address.