To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in his Department (a) were disciplined and (b) had their employment terminated as a result of a poor sickness record in each of the last five years. (163703)

The number of DEFRA staff who were disciplined or had their employment terminated or both as a result of a poor sick record in each year since 2003 is shown in the following table. The figures shown in the disciplined column includes those members of staff who were dismissed.