asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the removal of any religious discrimination in the recruitment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland was a feature of the St Andrews agreement of 2006; and, if so, what was agreed. [HL57]

Government remain committed to achieving a representative police service in Northern Ireland for all community backgrounds. This commitment, and Government's aim to achieve 30 per cent Catholic composition for regular police officers by 2010-11, was part of the St Andrews discussions. The removal of the temporary police recruitment provisions are as outlined in annexe B of the St Andrews agreement of 2006. This states that the 50:50 recruitment arrangements to the PSNI will lapse when the Patten target for Catholic officers has been achieved.