Departmental Staff (Hansard, 21 February 2000)

§ Caroline Flint
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in each of the last five years, what proportion of women employees in his Department (a) returned to work after childbirth, (b) returned to work after childbirth before the end of maternity leave, indicating the (i) time-range and (ii) mean time, (c) returned to work after childbirth on reduced working hours, indicating the average hours worked and (d) returned to work after childbirth on full-time hours and subsequently reduced their hours. [108861]
720W

§ Mr. Ingram
During the five years 1994–95 to 1998–99 the proportion of female staff who returned to work after childbirth was as follows:

Year Percentage

1994–95 90

1995–96 88

1996–97 86

1997–98 97

1998–99 92

The majority of the remaining staff took a career break immediately after maternity leave.
The vast majority of these staff required only the 14 week period of paid maternity leave; a very small number took advantage of a further period of unpaid maternity leave.
The information requested on average hours worked after returning from maternity could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

§ Caroline Flint
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what child care provision was made available in the financial year 1998–99 for use by his departmental staff; what was the cost to parents of this child care; and how many parents used the facilities. [108855]

§ Mr. Ingram
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 15 February 2000, Official Report, columns 517–20W.
Within the NIO, parents are assisted with the cost of pre-school child care by means of a voucher scheme. During the year 1998–99, expenditure on child care vouchers amounted to £31,400 and a total of 48 parents (approximately 3.2 per cent. of all staff) received assistance.

§ Caroline Flint
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provisions are made available to Departmental staff for (a) maternity leave, (b) maternity pay, (c) paternity leave, (d) parental leave, (e) flexible working hours, (f) part-time work, (g) job-sharing, (h) leave to care for sick children, (i) home-working, (j) term-time contracts, (k) annual hours contracts, (l) child care allowances, (m) careers leave and (n) career break schemes; and what criteria are used to judge eligibility in each case. [108841]

§ Mr. Ingram
The information requested is given in the following table.

Provision in NIO (HCS and NICS) Eligibility criteria

(a) Maternity leave A total of 52 weeks' maternity leave is available; this includes 14 weeks' paid leave and a further 4 weeks on Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) Available to all female staff who have completed one year's paid service

721W

Provision in NIO (HCS and NICS) Eligibility criteria

(b) Maternity pay As above As above

(c) Paternity leave Three days' paid leave of absence per child Available to all male staff, including those on temporary and fixed term contracts

(d) Parental leave New legislation effective from 15 December 1999 entitles employees to 13 weeks' unpaid parental leave for each child born after that date Available to all permanent staff employed for more than one year; leave must be taken before child's fifth birthday

(e) Flexible working hours Flexible working hours are available to staff working in Belfast. The introduction of a similar scheme for staff in the London Office is under consideration Available to all staff subject to the overall efficiency of the Department

(f) Part-time work Part-time working and job-share arrangements are in operation at various grade levels throughout the Department All staff at all grades are eligible to apply. Requests approved on the basis of personal and business needs

(g) Job-sharing

(h) Leave to care for sick children Special leave, both paid and unpaid, is available at departmental discretion. New legislation effective from 15 December 1999 gives employees a right to "reasonable" time off work to care for dependents Available to all staff at all grades. Each case considered on its merits

(i) Homeworking No formal arrangements exist Individual arrangements were made for a member of staff to work from home part-time

(j) Term time contracts As above Staff have been granted unpaid leave during school holidays

(k) Annual hours contracts Does not apply in NIO —

(l) Child care allowances Assistance with the cost of pre-school child care is provided via a voucher scheme All permanent staff with pre-school age children who employ a legally authorised child care provider are eligible to apply

722W

Provision in NIO (HCS and NICS) Eligibility criteria

(m) Careers leave Unpaid special leave to undertake a full-time course of study and sabbatical leave for promising officers to develop and broaden their experience All permanent staff are eligible to apply. Each case considered on its merits

(n) Career break scheme Career breaks available for periods of not less than one year and no more than 5 years All permanent staff are eligible to apply

Year	Percentage
1994–95	90
1995–96	88
1996–97	86
1997–98	97
1998–99	92

	Provision in NIO (HCS and NICS)	Eligibility criteria
(a) Maternity leave	A total of 52 weeks' maternity leave is available; this includes 14 weeks' paid leave and a further 4 weeks on Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)	Available to all female staff who have completed one year's paid service

	Provision in NIO (HCS and NICS)	Eligibility criteria
(b) Maternity pay	As above	As above
(c) Paternity leave	Three days' paid leave of absence per child	Available to all male staff, including those on temporary and fixed term contracts
(d) Parental leave	New legislation effective from 15 December 1999 entitles employees to 13 weeks' unpaid parental leave for each child born after that date	Available to all permanent staff employed for more than one year; leave must be taken before child's fifth birthday
(e) Flexible working hours	Flexible working hours are available to staff working in Belfast. The introduction of a similar scheme for staff in the London Office is under consideration	Available to all staff subject to the overall efficiency of the Department
(f) Part-time work	Part-time working and job-share arrangements are in operation at various grade levels throughout the Department	All staff at all grades are eligible to apply. Requests approved on the basis of personal and business needs
(g) Job-sharing
(h) Leave to care for sick children	Special leave, both paid and unpaid, is available at departmental discretion. New legislation effective from 15 December 1999 gives employees a right to "reasonable" time off work to care for dependents	Available to all staff at all grades. Each case considered on its merits
(i) Homeworking	No formal arrangements exist	Individual arrangements were made for a member of staff to work from home part-time
(j) Term time contracts	As above	Staff have been granted unpaid leave during school holidays
(k) Annual hours contracts	Does not apply in NIO	—
(l) Child care allowances	Assistance with the cost of pre-school child care is provided via a voucher scheme	All permanent staff with pre-school age children who employ a legally authorised child care provider are eligible to apply

	Provision in NIO (HCS and NICS)	Eligibility criteria
(m) Careers leave	Unpaid special leave to undertake a full-time course of study and sabbatical leave for promising officers to develop and broaden their experience	All permanent staff are eligible to apply. Each case considered on its merits
(n) Career break scheme	Career breaks available for periods of not less than one year and no more than 5 years	All permanent staff are eligible to apply