HC Deb 03 July 1997 vol 297 cc277-8W
Mr. Roy Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) teachers in schools and (b) college and university lecturers in Northern Ireland are employed on one year contracts of employment. [6294]

functions of the various Northern Ireland departments and to merge some into her own Department; what advice she has received on this issue; and if she will make a statement. [5637]

Mr. Paul Murphy

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 6 May that my hon. Friend the Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) would take Ministerial responsibility for both the Training and Employment Agency and the Department of Education, but without integrating their functions. She has no other plans to integrate any functions of the Northern Ireland departments or to merge some into the Northern Ireland Office. She has neither sought nor received any advice on these issues.