§ Mr. HealdTo ask the President of the Council how many days of sick leave were taken in his Department last year; how many related to employees suffering from(a) stress and (b) other mental health problems; and what the cost was to his Department. [56475]
§ Mr. Robin CookInformation for the year 2001 is not yet available. The latest available figures are for the calendar year 2000. During this period 363 days were lost owing to sickness absence.
The Privy Council Office is not included in the published annual report 'Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service' but we are fully committed to working to the overall target to reduce the level of sick absence to five days per person by 2003; and reducing the number of working days lost from work-related injury and ill health by 30 per cent. by 2010. The Privy Council Office service delivery agreement confirms this commitment and our requirement to monitor sickness levels quarterly.
Information on stress and other mental health problems in the form requested is being withheld under Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information as the number involved are less than five out of a Department of 40 and could result in an individual being identified.