To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of his Department's employees are (a) male, (b) female, (c) from an ethnic minority, (d) disabled and (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement. (208398)

Within the Northern Ireland Office, as at the end of April 2008, the number of (a) male staff was 800 and the number of (b) female staff was 1,288.

Declaration of ethnic background and disabled status is voluntary. The number of staff recorded by the Northern Ireland Office as having declared that (c) they are from an ethnic minority is 18, and, (d) they have a disability is 80.

Sexual orientation is not currently monitored in the Northern Ireland Office.