§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of his staff have taken sick leave due to mental health problems in the last year;[111983]
(2) how many sick days were lost over the last year by his Department through staff mental health problems. [111997]
§ Mr. Blunkett16,757 working days were lost in the Home Office due to sickness absence caused by mental health problems in the calendar year 2002.
Also in that year, 445 Home Office staff took sick leave due to mental health problems under the definitions supplied by the Cabinet Office. The figure represents 2.69 per cent of those staff who were absent through illness in 2002.
870WA wide-ranging review of sickness absence and ill health retirement is due to report shortly.
These figures exclude the Prison Service and the United Kingdom Passport Service).