§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will commission and publish an independent report on the reasons for the level of sickness absence in his Department. [26969]
§ Angela EagleThe Cabinet Office already commissions and publishes an independent annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service". This report includes details of the causes of absenteeism. The report for the year 2000 will be published shortly.
The Home Office and its agencies have introduced new guidelines, policies and procedures with a view to meeting its target to reducing sickness absence, published in its Service Delivery Agreements for April 2001 to March 2004.