§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the effect of the Working Time Directive on her Department's employees; how many employees are working in excess of 48 hours per week; what steps she is taking to reduce this number; and if she will make a statement. [35897]
§ Mr. MorleyThe European Working Time Directive was incorporated into UK law by the Working Time Regulations 1998.
This Department takes the work/life balance seriously and is taking a number of steps to raise awareness. As a general rule staff in core-DEFRA will not be asked to work more than 48 hours per week. Agreements to disapply the 48 hour limit are entered into only very exceptionally and after thorough examination of the working arrangements of the staff involved. Prior to an expected increase during the Foot and Mouth crisis only about 30 staff had agreed to disapply the 48 hour limit and a number of these related to junior staff with second jobs.
639WThe Pesticides Safety Directorate, the Rural Payments Agency and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate are covered by the Departmental response. RPA currently has two members of staff who work in excess of 48 hours though this number was greater during the BSE and Foot and Mouth crises. Managers continually review the position of those staff who regularly work more than 48 hours per week. PSD has no staff who work in excess of 48 hours.
Responsibility for the Working Time Regulations within the Central Science Laboratory, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the Centre for Environmental Fisheries and Aquaculture Agency has been delegated to Agency Chief Executives and I have asked them to reply direct.
Letter from Victor Bye to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated January 2002:
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has asked Agency Chief Executives to reply to your question concerning the Working Time Directive. I am replying on behalf of Chief Executive for The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Agency (CEFAS).
The Working Time Regulations were first introduced in the UK in 1998. As a general rule, members of staff are not asked to work more than 48 hours per week. Any paid hours worked in excess of conditioned hours, have to be approved by line managers. Officers have also been asked to notify their managers if they have a second job or employment outside CEFAS.
Annual medical assessments have been introduced for Nightpatrol staff as prescribed by the regulations. However, there have been no agreements to disapply the 48-hour weekly limit within CEFAS.
Letter from Steve Edwards to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated February 2002:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question on what assessment has been made of the effect of the Working Time Directive on her Department's employees, how many employees are working in excess of 48 hours per week and what steps she is taking to reduce this number.
The European Working Time Directive was incorporated into UK law by the Working Time Regulations 1998.
As a general rule staff will not be asked to work more than 48 hours per week. Although there is the opportunity for staff to enter into an agreement to disapply the 48 hour limit there are no such agreements within VLA.
Letter from Michael Roberts to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 13 February 2002:
CSL operates a policy of ensuring staff do not work in excess of 48 hours on a regular basis. No member of CSL staff has signed a "waiver" excluding themselves from the provisions of the Working Time Directive.
During the recent FMD outbreak, a small number of CSL staff, seconded to FMD duties, did work in excess of 48 hours per week. This has now ceased.