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Solicitor-General

Answer

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Solicitor General how many staff in the Law Officers' Department, agencies and non- departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002. [106731] The Solicitor-General: A holding reply was given on 7 April 2003. In relation to my own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, staff are on secondment from other Departments and are covered by their parent Department's arrangements. Crown Prosecution Service Facility time allocation in the Crown Prosecution Service is in the form of a block allowance--of 2,674 days--to the two recognised trade unions. For the financial year 2001-02 the number of staff receiving paid leave to undertake union duties was 136 and the cost to public funds was £280,042.75. Serious Fraud Office The Serious Fraud Office does not have any staff who receive paid leave to undertake union duties. HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate The size of Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate means that we have no formal arrangements for facility time. However, both the FDA and the PCS have branches within Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and a Whitley Council which meets quarterly. Preparation and attendance is absorbed within normal working arrangements and I would not regard this as "paid leave". In addition, permission is given for occasional meetings. The total time involved is presently so small as not to warrant separate recording and costing. Treasury Solicitor's Department Seven members of staff in the Treasury Solicitor's Department are eligible to receive paid leave to undertake union duties; the total allocation is 40 days per year. The actual cost to public funds in 2002 was £715.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

106731; 406 c523-4W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Conditions of employment Costs Executive agencies Civil servants Crown Prosecution Service Government departments Leave Non-departmental public bodies Trade unions Serious Fraud Office Solicitor General Treasury Solicitor's Department

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk