§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims for work-related illness were settled by his Department in the last year for which records are available; and what the cost was in compensation. [56087]
§ Ruth KellyNo claims were made for work-related illness in 2001. The Treasury has a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment for all employees and is committed to minimising the number of working days lost generally due to work-related injuries and illness.
§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many days of sick leave were taken by employees in his Department in the last year for which records are available; what proportion of those were due to work-related illness or injury; and what the cost was to the Department. [56089]
§ Ruth KellyThe latest published information on sick absence covering 2000 is contained in the annual report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" published by the Cabinet Office. That report shows an average number of working days sickness absence per staff year of 9.9 days for non-industrial civil servants. The Treasury figure was 3.9 days per staff year. Information on the extent to which those figures are purely work-related and on costs are not held and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. The Treasury has a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment for all employees and is committed to minimising the number of working days lost generally due to work-related injuries and illness.