§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in 2001 towards meeting the Public Service Agreement target of contributing to the Government's target to reduce Civil Service sickness absence rates. [22587]
§ Mr. BradshawThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office is committed to reducing sickness absence by 20 per cent. (to an average of 6.5 days) by 2001. This figure was set against the 1998 baseline figure of an average of eight days. We now have a new reporting system in place, which allows us to monitor sickness absence in detail, and effectively manage individual cases. Figures for 2001 have not yet been collated, but early indications are that we are on course to meet the 2001 target.