§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in her Department. [90875]
§ The Solicitor-General[holding answer 20 January 2003]Personnel records for the Crown Prosecution Service show that across the Service on 31 December 2002 there were a total of 1439 staff (approximately 20 per cent. of the workforce) working on a part-time basis. The Crown Prosecution Service does not record job share details separately. However, a number of those working part-time are working on a job-share basis.
The Serious Fraud Office offers its staff a range of flexible working practices to assist them in achieving a satisfactory work/life balance. However it does not, at present, have any staff that have opted to work under a job share arrangement nor has it received any job applications from individuals who wish to work in this way.
Five job sharing arrangements were in place in the Treasury Solicitor's Department on 31 December 2002. All jobs in the Treasury Solicitor's Department are advertised on the basis that they are open to applicants who wish to work flexibly, unless this is expressly excluded due to the nature of the work.
My own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate currently have no job sharers.