Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on how many occasions her Department has made appointments by exception since 2010; and who was appointed for each such post.

My Department made appointments by exception as set out below.

Records prior to 2012 are not held.

The Civil Service Commission requires secondments from the NI Civil Service to be listed as an exception. Northern Ireland Civil Servants at grades below Senior Civil Servant were appointed on a secondment basis to all of these posts with the exception of one which was an appointment at SCS Pay Band 1 for the post of Deputy Director, Community Engagement Group. This post was also filled on a secondment basis by a member of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.