§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many working days have been lost due to illness in his Department in(a) 2002 and (b) each of the preceding five years. [90972]
§ Mr. Paul MurphySick 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 and are recorded as days absence per are not available in the required format. The information available is as follows:
year 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.
538WThe sick absence statistics for 2001–02 for HCS and NICS staff are to be available inthe near future.
The Northern Ireland Office is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and arange of corporate and departmental initiatives have been and are being taken forwardto reduce the current levels of sickness absence.
Sick absence statistics for the Northern Ireland Administration are analysed by financialyear as opposed to calendar year. Published statistics for Northern Ireland Departments for the financial year 2000–01 are accessible on the Department's website atwww.dfpni.gov.uk/publications.
The number of working days lost by NI Departments due to illness was just under 320,000 during 2000/2001 with the comparable figure for 1999–2000 being just over 315,000. Comparable/accurate figures are not available for earlier years. The sick absence statistics for Northern Ireland Departments during 2001–02 are to be published in the near future and will be similarly accessible on the Department's website.
NI Departments are 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.