And finally…TOP SECRET accountant wanted

For anyone interesting in top secret bean counting, the salary approaches £50,000 a year and the successful applicant doesn’t even need a finance qualification.

MI5’s Northern Ireland headquarters Palace Barracks, located just outside east Belfast, has an annual budget in excess of £324 million for combating Northern Ireland-related terrorism alone.

The job offers a starter salary of £46,860 a year and despite being for the role of finance officer, it states that a finance qualification - or willingness to work towards one - “would be an advantage although not essential if you have relevant experience or an aptitude for financial management”.

“It’s vital you enjoy building strong relationships with partners and customers, sharing advice to inform spending decisions and manage financial risks,” it says.

“This is an opportunity to work within a unique finance community, providing dedicated support and ensuring we make the most of our resources.”

The advertisement adds that anyone confided in “should also be made aware of the importance of discretion”.

Almost a fifth of MI5’s annual budget of £1.8 billion, which is paid from the British government’s ‘Single Intelligence Account’ is spent directly in Northern Ireland dealing with the local terrorist threat.

The advertisement adds that anyone confided in “should also be made aware of the importance of discretion”.