§ The Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to advise health and social services boards that intrusive or inquisitive questions irrelevant to the requirements of the post should not be put to candidates in interviews.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomley[holding answer 12 March 1990]: We should be grateful for information of any specific complaint.
§ Rev. SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what guidance he has issued to health and social services boards regarding the information which they require from applicants for medical staff appointments and research fellowships; what guidance his Department issues as to whether health and social services boards should require from applicants information on the primary school attended;
(2) what information he has as to the inclusion by health and social services boards of questions as to the primary school which a person may have attended in application procedures for medical staff appointments and research fellowships.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomley[holding answer 12 March 1990] : None. As a result of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989, health and social services boards in Northern Ireland are required to monitor the religious composition of all those who apply to fill vacancies for employment.
Monitoring must be carried out in accordance with regulations made under the Act and guidance on the provisions is contained in the code of practice issued by the Department of Economic Development and which came into operation on 31 December 1989. Copies of the code have been made available to each health and social services board.