Written question asked by Lord Willetts (Conservative) on Thursday, 16 December 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 December 2004. It was answered by Maria Eagle (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 December 2004 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Dept for Work and Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the sickness and absenteeism rate in job centres has been in each year since 1997. - Inc fact that information is not available in the format requested and table.

Answer: Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the sickness and absenteeism rate in jobcentres has been in each year since 1997. [206410] Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in table 1 as follows. Table 1--Sickness absence information for the former employment service and jobcentre plus for the calendar years 1999 to 2003 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Number of staff years Average working days absence per staff year 1999 34,463 11.5 2000 35,229 11.8 2001 36,355 12.8 2002 36,715 13.5 2003 83,318 12.0 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1 The figures are taken from the annual analysis of sick absence undertaken by AON Limited on behalf of the Cabinet Office. 2. The information in table 1 covers the calendar years 1999 to 2003 relating to the former employment service and jobcentre plus, (created in 2002). 3. The AON reports do not distinguish between sick absence levels within employment service and jobcentre plus frontline offices and support functions including head office, and therefore represent figures for the Business as a whole. 4. The calculation used to derive these figures uses a staff-year adjustment, which provides a more reliable basis for average sick absence figures than a count of staff employed.

Secondary information