To ask Her Majesty's Government how many posts there are in the Northern Ireland Office Political Directorate; whether the number of posts has reduced in recent years; if so, by how much; and what is the annual saving therefrom. [HL6253]

There are currently 120 posts in the Political Directorate of the Northern Ireland Office. The following table details the number of staff in the Political Directorate over the last five years:

The increase in staff for the current year resulted from the management of both Hillsborough Castle and Stormont House moving from another directorate into the Inquiries and Corporate Services Division, which is part of the Political Directorate.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the objectives of the Northern Ireland Office's Political Directorate; and why it has been absorbed into the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat. [HL6254]

The Northern Ireland Office's departmental strategic objectives (DSOs) arising from CSR07 are published on the Department's website (http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/a-z.htm).

The Political Directorate of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has lead responsibility for DSO 1—a stable devolved government in Northern Ireland with responsibility for policing and justice, and a society reconciled with the past.

The NIO Political Directorate has not been absorbed into the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat (BIIGS). BIIGS is a separate body which was established as a result of an international agreement between the British and Irish Governments. The British side of the Secretariat is staffed by civil servants from the NIO Political Directorate.