§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent estimate her Department has made of the cost to industry and business in the UK of sickness absence; and what plans have been made to tackle abuse of sickness absence by employees. [113496]
§ Alan JohnsonAccording to latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive, the cost to employers in the UK of work-related illness was around £1.1 billion in 1995–96. The Government believe employers themselves are best placed to tackle the problem of sick leave in those cases where it is being abused. Acas publishes some guidance on how employers might deal with absences, including sickness absences.