HC Deb 30 January 2003 vol 398 cc947-8W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the rate of staff(a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990–91 to 2002–03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement. [93508]

Mr. Alexander

Absenteeism is defined as unauthorised absence for which pay would be stopped. The Cabinet Office (and agencies) keep records of unpaid absence generally but they also include authorised absence. Separating the records could be achieved only at disproportionate costs.

Sick absence figures for government departments are published annually in the report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service". The most recent report for calendar year 2001 was announced by Ministerial Statement 19 December 2002. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House. Figures for 2002 will be announced later this year.

Cabinet Office figures (including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies) are

Days per staff year
1993 7.3
1994 6.3
1995 7.7
1996 6.4
1997 6.6
1998 7.3

£
Distributor NLDF balance at 16 March 2000 Uncommitted funds NLDF balance at 31 March 2001 Uncommitted fund NLDF balance 31 March 2002 Uncommitted funds
Arts Council of 531,576
England 282,798,703 -98,044,005 256,789,149 -16,113,171 246,267,032 (0.2 per cent.)
12,798,154 9,796,283 7,774,074
Film Council 12,798,154 (100 per cent.) 41,761,184 (23.5 per cent.) 67,640,454 (11.5 per cent.)
Arts Council of 9,773,570 17,292,726 15,443,320
NI 26,969,427 (36.2 per cent.) 30,372,890 (56.9 per cent.) 33,555,930 (46.0 per cent.)
Scottish Arts 1,771,859 10,747,608 9,076,600
Council 52,442,351 (3.38 per cent.) 46,450,319 (23.1 per cent.) 44,642,966 (20.3 per cent.)
1,042,978
Scottish Screen n/a n/a 4,290,609 (24.3 per cent.) 3,637,995 -1,306,175
Arts Council of Wales 24,055,796 -7,977,347 28,108,522 -9,889,513 32,542,530 -5,296,685
Community Fund 601,000,000 -26,000,000 489,771,011 -159,413,432 401,424,347 -148,132,113
Heritage Lottery Fund 903,000,000 -27,200,000 935,605,679 -48,603,065 933,667,077 -125,269,349
Millennium 91,383,244 157,384,792
Commission 591,711,691 -148,888,309 466,483,244 (19.6 per cent.) 386,384,792 (40 per cent.)
New
Opportunities 142,949,683 11,541,590
Fund 463,999,683 (30.8 per cent.) 571,897,073 (2.0 per cent.) 826,417,473 -55,387,421
Sport England 458,717,575 -196,745,718 451,912,589 -186,232,411 382,438,490 -465,214,510
Sports Council of 778,787 1,952,654 5,178,473
NI 14,746,090 (5.3 per cent.) 16,748,325 (11.67 per cent.) 19,539,173 (26.5 per cent.)
9,919,219 32,375,718 19,599,086
Sport Scotland 75,106,991 (13.2 per cent.) 70,326,344 (46.0 per cent.) 72,899,224 (26.9 per cent.)
Days per staff year
1999 6.8
2000 4.6
2001 5.7

Figures for 1990–92 are not available.

Our target for reducing sick absence is no more than 6.0 days per staff year by the end of 2003

Previous targets, which were achieved, were no more than 7.4 days per staff year in 1998 6.4 days per staff year by 2001

The Cabinet Office is committed to achieving its targets and has in place sick absence management procedures recommended by the 1998 report "Working Well Together—Managing Attendance in the Public Sector".