§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of Catholics there were in the senior civil service in the last period for which figures are available. [160332]
§ Mr. PearsonAt 1 January 2004, the figure was 30 per cent.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Equality Commission on the exclusion of Irish nationals from senior Civil Service posts. [160365]
§ Mr. PearsonThere have been no formal discussions between Ministers and the Equality Commission on this matter. Officials maintain contact with the Commission on a range of issues and on 27 August 2003, officials from the Department of Finance and Personnel met Commission staff for a general discussion on progress on the Senior Civil Service Review and Associated Action Plan. The discussion covered a range of issues, including the application of nationality rules to reserved posts.