§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will commission and publish an independent report on the reasons for the level of sickness absence in his Department. [26999]
§ Mr. McCartneyWe have no plans to publish an independent report on the reasons for absence in the Department.
The Cabinet Office already commissions and publishes an independent annual report covering all Government Departments; "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service". This report includes details of the causes of absenteeism in my Department.
The report for the year 2000, will be published shortly.