HC Deb 08 January 2004 vol 416 c468W
Mr. Russell Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of staff employed within his Department are over 55 years of age; and what(a) number and (b) percentage of staff recruited over the last 12 months are over 55 years of age. [1459281

Mr. Pearson

7.2 per cent. of those employed by the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Northern Ireland Office are aged over 55. 29—or 0.9 per cent.—of those who were recruited in the year to September 2003 were aged over 55.