§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Department. [90867]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggThe Department promotes and supports the use of a range of flexible working patterns including job sharing, to enable staff to balance home and work responsibilities. Flexible working options for staff include part-time work, a flexi-time system, compressed hours, part-year working and home working. Internal vacancies in the Department are open to all staff, irrespective of their working arrangements or pattern of work. Applicants for external vacancies are also invited to apply on a full time, part time or job share basis.
The Department does not keep a record of the number of people specifically employed on job share contracts. 12.5 per cent. (569) of staff are employed under a range of part-time work patterns.