§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what anomalies remain since United Kingdom law relating to employment in the civil service was brought into line with EC law in 1991. [19076]
§ Mr. FreemanThe European Communities (Employment in the Civil Service) Order 1991 brought United Kingdom law into line with European Community requirements by permitting nationals of other member states to apply for certain civil service posts, but a number of anomalies remain. One of these is that citizens of the Republic of Ireland—and of Commonwealth countries—are currently eligible for recruitment to a wide range of posts in the home civil service, including those which constitute
employment in the public servicein EC treaty terms, whereas nationals of other European Economic Area countries are eligible only for those posts which do not constitute such employment.It is clear that we need to amend the current rules. Recruitment schemes with closing dates for the receipt of applications on or after 1 June 1996 for posts which constitute
employment in the public servicewill therefore be reserved for United Kingdom nationals and will not be open to Irish or Commonwealth citizens. Applications from citizens of these countries will from 1 June be treated on the same basis as those from citizens from other European Economic Area countries.The change will not affect the position of citizens of the Republic of Ireland and of Commonwealth countries already in post on 31 May 1996. Neither will it affect the position of candidates from those countries for recruitment schemes with a closing date for the receipt of applications before 1 June 1996.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is making arrangements for changes to the rules for entry to the Northern Ireland civil service which will achieve the same position there in the same timescale.