To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of sick leave taken by staff in his Department was stress-related in each of the last three years. (145974)

The percentage of total sick absences taken by DEFRA staff for which stress was recorded as the reason for absence was as follows:

2005: 6.7 per cent.

2006: 5.3 per cent.

Information for 2004 is not available.