Just 38% of BBC recruits are Protestant

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell made the comments in response to the Equality Commission's annual monitoring return.

He said the report has produced a mixed message particularly in recruitment to the public sector.

The report showed that last year over 50 per cent of Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) recruits were Protestants. Mr Campbell welcomed this but said it should not be allowed to be a "one off event."

"For decades the NIHE has been a large public sector employer where Protestants have been significantly under-represented, virtually every year the monitoring report has shown that Protestants make up between only 33 per cent - 40 per cent of those being recruited instead of the 50 per cent which their numbers should merit," said Mr Campbell.

He said the DUP has been pressing continuously both the NIHE and the Equality Commission to ensure it offers equality of opportunity and recruits people purely on merit.

"This year the Executive recruited a slight majority of Protestants. This may be the first year this has ever happened since monitoring began.

"It is certainly a most unusual occurrence for the recruitment ratio to jump by almost 20 per cent in one year. The key now will be to ensure that the pressure continues to ensure that this doesn't register as a 'one off event' and that Protestants can begin to see a more balanced outcome in that organisation over a period of years to counterbalance the many years where they were under-represented," he commented.

In relation to the BBC he said the broadcaster was recruiting less Protestants than are present in the population.

"The BBC has for some time been under fire for it's recruitment policy also but it seems to be going in the opposite direction.

"This year the broadcaster has only managed a 37.7 per cent Protestant mix in it's recruitment. The latest recruitment figures demonstrate the need again for vigilance and for the Corporation to look closely at how it advertises for staff as well as how the actual recruitment process is carried out.

"It should not be necessary for a political party like the DUP to keep campaigning for equity from these publicly funded bodies, particularly when there is a regime like the Equality Commission that is supposed to ensure an equitable outcome. Whether it is necessary or not, we will continue doing it," said the MP.