§ Lord Inglewoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they accept the Work Foundation's findings (on 27 January 2003) that overall absence rates in 2002 were 1.5 per cent in the information technology sector; 1.54 per cent in the utilities sector; 2.23 per cent in the manufacturing sector and 7.86 per cent in the public/voluntary sector; and if so, whether they plan any action as a result. [HL1801]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The Work Foundation estimates are based upon a small sample of employers. The estimates are therefore subject to significant sampling and non-sampling error. Estimates from the Labour Force Survey, a much larger household survey of employees, suggest that in autumn 2002 absence rates were 1.8 per cent in the private sector and 2.3 per cent in the public sector.