To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of (a) sickness and (b) unauthorised absence was in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in each year since 1996-97; what progress has been made in meeting targets for a reduction in sickness and unauthorised absence; and if he will make a statement. (41328)

The information is as follows.

Days lost to sickness

The information available is contained in the following tables. The figures represent average working days lost per staff year, and have been drawn from the Cabinet Office’s annual reports on sickness absence in the civil service. The information for 2005 is not yet available.

The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in 2001. The overall figures prior to this date relate to absence levels in the Department of Social Security and the Employment Service. A comprehensive breakdown of the DSS agencies’ figures prior to 2001 is not available.

Since the end of 2004, the Department’s internal figures indicate a further reduction of over 12 per cent. This improvement has been achieved by, among other things, increasing staff awareness of the issue and management's commitment to reducing absence levels; greater compliance with revised procedures, which were commended by the National Audit Office; improved management information about the level and type of absences through the introduction of a new computer system.

Days lost to unauthorised absence

The available information is in the following table. Information about unauthorised absences in DWP prior to 2003 is not fully available. The vast majority of these days lost are through industrial action. Days lost for reasons other than industrial action are negligible. If they occur, they are dealt with under the Department’s disciplinary procedures.