§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact of the part-time workers directive on staff in his Department. [109279]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggMy Department welcomed the introduction of the part-time workers directive in July 2000 as supporting its commitment to family-friendly policies and helping its employees to achieve a better balance between work and home life. Its introduction had no particular impact on terms and conditions for228W staff in the Department, as part time and full time workers have equitable treatment on a pro-rata basis, dependent on hours worked.
Part-time working is one of a wide range of flexible working arrangements that the Department offers.
At 1 January 2003, 12.5 per cent. of my Department's permanent staff worked part-time, an increase of 1 per cent. from 1 January 2002.