HC Deb 24 March 2003 vol 402 cc48-50W
Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many working days have been lost in his Department owing to(a) illness and (b) industrial action in each year since 1997–98. [94283]

Mr. Paul Murphy

Sick absence statistics for the Northern Ireland Civil Servants and the Home Civil Servants in the Northern Ireland Office are recorded separately. Figures for Home Civil Servants within the NIO are not available in the required format. The information available is as follows:

Days sick absence per staff year
1998 6.5
1999 8.0
2000 9.3
2001 10.0

Sick absence statistics for NICS staff in the Northern Ireland Office are analysed by financial year as opposed to calendar year.

The number of working days lost by NICS staff in the Northern Ireland Office due to illness was 16,394 during 2000–01. Comparable figures are not available for earlier years. The figure for 2001–02 will be available shortly.

The sick absence statistics for 2001–02 for HCS and NICS staff are to be available in the near future.

The Northern Ireland Office is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and a range of corporate and departmental initiatives have been and are being taken forward to reduce the current levels of sickness absence.

No days have been lost in the Northern Ireland Office due to industrial action.

In the Northern Ireland Administration Departments sick absence statistics are analysed by financial year. The information sought is only readily available for the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02. Published statistics for Northern Ireland Departments for the financial years 2000–01 and 2001–02 are accessible on the Department's website at www.dfpni.gov.u1c/publications.

The number of working days lost by NI Administration Departments due to illness was as follows:

Financial year Total number of working days lost
1999–2000 315,105
2000–01 319,790
2001–02 335,720

Due to the reorganisation of Departments following devolution, the 1999–2000 absence details were analysed according to the Department in which staff were employed at the end of the 1999–2000 financial year. As such the year on year comparisons are not entirely comparable.

The number of working days lost by Northern Ireland Administration Departments due to industrial action was as follows:

Financial year Total number of working days lost
1997–1998 1,151½
1998–1999 441
1999–2000 0
2000–01 0
2001–02 634½

Note:

The figures are not available for one NI Department (Health, Social Services and Public Safety) as it cannot be disaggregated from other forms of unpaid leave.