Prison Service: Sick Leave

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 16 May 2007, Official Report, column 787W, on prison service: sick leave, how many staff are currently off work sick in HM Prison Service with stress; how many staff were off work sick with stress for a period of (a) less than one week, (b) between one and two weeks, (c) between two weeks and a month, (d) between one and two months, (e) between two and three months, (f) between three and four months, (g) between four and five months, (h) between five and six months and (i) more than six months in the last two years; and if he will make a statement. (173720)

The information requested is as follows:

Public Sector Prison Service

At the latest date that figures are available (30 November 2007) there were 465 staff absent from the public sector Prison Service for reasons classified as ‘Mental and Behavioural Disorders’ - predominately stress related. Information on the number of cases of ‘Mental and Behavioural’ absences by length of absence over the last two complete years is shown in the following table. The information refers to all stress related absences, whether they were work-related or not. The average total workforce during this period was 48,817 and therefore the current number absent due to ‘Mental and Behavioural Disorders’ is less than 1 per cent. of total workforce.

*Mental and behavioural absences in the public sector prison service by length: April 2005 to March 2007*
Length of absence	Cases
< 1 week	1,243
1 to 2 weeks	732
2 weeks to 1 month	1,532
1 to 2 months	1,238
2 to 3 months	707
3 to 4 months	433
4 to 5 months	320
5 to 6 months	243
More than 6 months	551

Contracted Prisons

HMP and YOI Parc has reported that no staff are currently absent due to stress. No other contracted establishments have reported information on the number of current absentees.

Information from the contracted estate is contained in the following table.

*Absences due to stress at contracted prisons over the past two years*
Length of Absence	Cases¹
< 1 week	9
1 to 2 weeks	8
2 weeks to 1 month	15
1 to 2 months	11
2 to 3 months	10
3 to 4 months	0
4 to 5 months	0
5 to 6 months	1
More than 6 months	8
¹ Information has been provided for four contracted prisons: Parc, Altcourse, Rye Hill and Wolds. No information has been supplied for: Ashfield, Bronzefield, Dovegate, Doncaster, Forest Bank, Lowdham Grange and Peterborough.

Volume 470: debated on Monday 7 January 2008