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Northern Ireland Office

Answer

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's promotion boards for scientific officer positions to assess applications from persons (a) with a non- scientific background and (b) not currently working for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. [190382] Mr. Pearson: The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a promotion board to interview candidates for promotion to the grade of Scientific Officer in April/May 2004. A circular advising of eligibility and self-nomination arrangements was issued to all NICS Departments inviting applications from eligible officers. This was the first promotion board to this grade to which eligibility was opened to analogous grades. For this competition the eligibility criteria was restricted to (i) officers in the Assistant Scientific Officer grade and (ii) officers in analogous grades from other disciplines who met the current entry requirements for ASOs ie. 4 GCE/GCSE `O Levels, grades A-C which must have included English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject. In addition, all staff self- nominating were required to have a current "fitted for promotion" or better assessment on their annual report. The key selection criteria against which candidates were assessed for promotion by the board were as follows: (a) Services (b) Resources (c) People (d) Information/Communication (e) Professional/Specialist/Technical Knowledge and Skills Prospective applicants were advised in an addendum to the promotion board notice that the Professional/ Specialist/Technical/Knowledge and Skills criterion related to the Biology, Chemistry and Microbiology disciplines and that they would be required to demonstrate both on the application form and at interview how they satisfied this criterion in the context of these scientific disciplines.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

425 c314-5W; 190382

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Career development Eligibility Qualifications Recruitment Northern Ireland Executive Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Scientists

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk