§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of(a) the shortlisting decisions and (b) the criteria used in relation to the Grade 7 posts in the Government Purchasing Agency for which interviews were conducted in May. [7715]
Mr. MurphyIt is not usual for either myself or my Ministerial colleagues to become involved in Personnel or other Management issues in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. These are matters for individual Departments and Agencies. I have not therefore made an assessment of the 219W shortlisting decision or the criteria used in relation to the Grade 7 posts in the Government Purchasing Agency (GPA).
I am advised that this competition was arranged by the Department of Finance and Personnel. Shortlisting and subsequent interviews were undertaken on the basis of mandatory criteria as defined in the notice which invited applications for the competition.