§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Department. [90861]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienOver 20 staff are currently job sharing. All Foreign and Commonwealth Office jobs are, in principle, open to job share unless the nature of the work prevents this. To aid placement a register is held on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Intranet, containing details of staff looking to job share.
Job sharing is only one of a number of alternative and flexible working patterns in use at present. Other arrangements include staggered hours, flexi-time. home working, school working hours, term-time working and time off in lieu. We currently have 142 part timers—an increase of 35 per cent. since last year.