HC Deb 16 April 1996 vol 275 cc431-2W
Mr. John D. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Roman Catholic men are of economically active age in Northern Ireland. [24530]

Sir John Wheeler

The 1991 census of population provides the most recent information on the total population of Northern Ireland by age, religion and economic activity. The number of Roman Catholic men recorded in the census as being of economically active age—16 to 64—was 175,283.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of men in Northern Ireland of economically active age are Roman Catholic. [24531]

Sir John Wheeler

The 1991 census of population provides the most recent information on the total population of Northern Ireland by age, religion and economic activity. The percentage of men in Northern Ireland of economically active age—16 to 64—recorded in the census as Roman Catholic was 36.5 per cent.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Roman Catholic men in Northern Ireland are in employment. [24532]

Sir John Wheeler

The 1991 census of population provides the most recent information on the total population of Northern Ireland by age, religion and economic activity. The number of Roman Catholic men in Northern Ireland recorded in the census as in employment was 100,584.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the men in employment in Northern Ireland are Roman Catholic. [24533]

Sir John Wheeler

The 1991 census of population provides the most recent information on the total population of Northern Ireland by age, religion and economic activity. The proportion of men in employment in Northern Ireland recorded in the census as Roman Catholic was 31.2 per cent.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Roman Catholic men are employed by(a) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and (b) the Army. [24534]

Sir John Wheeler

The numbers of men serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary at 1 April 1996 who are perceived to be from the Roman Catholic community are:

Number
Regulars 602
Full-time reserve 187
Part-time reserve 39
Total 828

Information relating to employment by the Army is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the men employed by(a) the Royal Ulster Constaulary and (b) the Army are Roman Catholic. [24535]

Sir John Wheeler

The proportion of men serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary at 1 April 1996 who are perceived to be from the Roman Catholic community is:

Percentage
Regulars 8.0
Full-time reserve 6.4
Part-time reserve 3.9
Total 7.2

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Roman Catholic men would be employed in(a) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and (b) the Army if the number employed were in proportion to the percentage of men of economically active age in Northern Ireland who are Roman Catholic. [24536]

Sir John Wheeler

If the number of Roman Catholic men in the RUC were similar to the percentage of Roman Catholic men who are economically active—36.5 per cent.—there would be approximately 2,751 Roman Catholic men in the regulars and 1,067 in the full-time reserve.

Information relating to the Army is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

Mr. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fewer Roman Catholic men are employed in Northern Ireland than would be the case if the number employed were in exact proportion to the percentage of men of economically active age in Northern Ireland who are Roman Catholic. [24537]

Sir John Wheeler

The 1991 census of population provides the most recent information on the total population of Northern Ireland by age, religion and economic activity. The number of Roman Catholic men of economically active age in employment in Northern Ireland was 100,584. This is 17,054 fewer than if the number employed were in exact proportion to the percentage of men of economically active age in Northern Ireland recorded as Roman Catholic.