§ Mr. TyrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants in her Department have been invited to waive the Working Time Directive requirement to work less than 48 hours a week on 17 consecutive weeks; how many civil 847W servants in her Department have refused to waive the requirement; and what is the total cost of compliance with the Directive. [76803]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyTo date members of the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments and agencies have not systematically been invited to waive the 48 hour limit. However, a small number of staff who have been identified as working regularly in excess of the 48 hour average limit have signed the waiver. There have not been any refusals.
The cost of the introduction of some minor modifications to existing administrative procedures, particularly record keeping, cannot readily be identified. No additional staffing requirements have been identified.