§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost was of providing European Stress Awareness Day activities for police forces; and how many police forces used Home Office funding for such activities. [125657]
§ Ms BlearsEuropean Health and Safety Week in October 2002 was focused on psycho-social issues, including stress. The Health and Safety Executive, the sponsoring body, has not retained a complete record of organisations, including police forces, who participated in events supporting the Week's aims. However among forces in England and Wales that received regional or national awards for their activities, the total cost to those forces was estimated to be approximately £10,500. This figure does not include the personnel hours spent organising events, and the abstraction time of those police staff who participated.
Some police forces report using a portion of the funds allocated to them in support of the Strategy for a Healthy Police. They will be required during 2003–04 to evaluate their use of these funds, following guidance issued by the Home Office, to determine whether their initiatives have had a significant impact on sickness absence rates.