To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) nationals of other EU member states and (b) non-EU foreign nationals his Department employs. (325433)

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has no central record of nationals of other EU member states and non-EU foreign nationals in our employment. Since November 2007, the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS), which also carries out recruitment on behalf of the NIO, has collected the nationality details of applicants for vacancies. This information is retained for those who are successful and are appointed to posts in the NICS and NIO.