HC Deb 23 October 2002 vol 391 cc367-8W
Lady Hermon

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recruitment procedure for the Police Service of Northern Ireland. [74017]

Jane Kennedy

The new recruitment arrangements have now been operating successfully for almost a year and to date almost 500 police trainees have been appointed on a 50 per cent. Catholic, 50 per cent. non-Catholic basis. Whilst firm figures are not yet available, it is understood that the response to the fourth competition, which has recently closed, has again been encouraging.