Written question asked by John Bercow (Conservative) on Monday, 25 March 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 April 2002. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 April 2002 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Dept for Culture Media and Sport;Royal Parks Agency

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the target to reduce absence in the Royal Parks Agency to 10 days per employee by 2001 was met. - Includes text of letter from Royal Parks Agency, 10 April 2002.

Answer: Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the target to reduce absence in the Royal Parks Agency to 10 days per employee by 2001 was met. [47260] Dr. Howells: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, William Weston, and I have asked him to reply. Letter from William Weston to Mr. John Bercow, dated 10 April 2002: I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the target to reduce sick absence rates in the Royal Parks Agency, as this is an operational matter for which the Agency is responsible. The Agency's target was to reduce the rate to 10 days per employee per year by the end of 2001/02, as a step towards reducing it to 9 days per employee per year by the end of 2002/03. The average rate for the year ending 31 March 2002 was 20 days per employee. This is higher than that for the previous year, and is largely attributable to significant rates of long term sick leave within the Royal Parks Constabulary. It does not reflect more frequent instances of short-term sick leave among the staff as a whole, which is evidenced by the fact that the average rate for non-uniformed staff was less than 5 days per year.

Secondary information