Trade Unions
Northern Ireland
Priti Patel (Witham, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many days were utilised for paid facility time by each trade union representative in (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public body for trade union (i) duties and (ii) activities in 2011-12.
Owen Paterson (Secretary of State, Northern Ireland; North Shropshire, Conservative)
Trade union representatives employed by the Northern Ireland Office used approximately four days of facility time during 2011-12 to cover all their trade union duties.
My Department has two non-departmental public bodies—the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland. My hon. Friend may wish to write to the Commissions directly on these matters.