Written question asked by Hugh Bayley (Labour) on Monday, 23 November 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 November 2009. It was answered by Shaun Woodward (Labour) on Tuesday, 1 December 2009 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Departmental Scientists

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) scientific advisers and (b) civil servants in scientific posts there are in his Department.

Answer: In the Northern Ireland Office Core Department there are no scientific advisers or scientific posts.There are scientific posts in one of the Department's agencies, Forensic Science Northern Ireland. The requested information in relation to these posts is as follows:"(a) The Forensic Science Agency does not have specific scientific advisers,""(b) There are 144 civil servants, of which there are seven lead scientists, in scientific posts in the Forensic Science Agency."

Secondary information