HC Deb 09 March 1990 vol 168 cc873-4W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the reason for the Western health and social services board recently requesting each employee to specify which primary school they had attended; what was the percentage response to the first request; and how many requests were necessary before all employees had answered the question to the satisfaction of management.

Mr. Needham

[holding answer 27 February 1990]: The Western health and social services board requested its employees to specify the primary schools that they attended for the purpose of monitoring the religious composition of its work force.

Forty-five per cent. of staff (excluding home helps) responded to the first request; a further 35 per cent. responded to two subsequent requests and a search of personnel files was carried out on the remaining 20 per cent. Fifty two per cent. of home helps responded to the first request and a search of personnel files was carried out on the remaining 48 per cent.