§ Tony CunninghamTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was the overall level of sickness absence in the civil service in 2000. [45327]
§ Mr. LeslieThe report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 2000" prepared for my Department by Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS) shows that by applying the same methodology as in previous years the average level of sickness absence was 9.9 days per staff year. This represents a small decrease over the equivalent figure of 10.1 days set out in the report for 1999. The report contains a comprehensive analysis of the 2000 figures.
Calculated on the basis of absence per person, the figure for the civil service was 8.5 days. According to the CBI survey for 2000, this compares favourably with a figure of 10.2 days for the public sector as a whole and is only slightly more than the average rate of 7.8 days for all sectors.
433WDepartments have published Service Delivery Agreements which contain their individual targets for reducing sickness absence. Overall the civil service has been targeted to reduce sickness absence by 30 per cent. (to 7.2 days per staff year) by 2003 against the 1998 baseline. My Department is continuing to work with other Departments and agencies as they take forward their plans to reduce sickness absence.
I have placed copies of the BioSS report in the Libraries of the House.