To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of working days lost by his Department's staff was attributed to stress-related conditions in the most recent year for which figures are available. (187863)

Within the Northern Ireland Office 27.9 per cent. of lost working days have been attributed to stress-related illness during the period 2006-07.

The health and safety of everyone in my Department is of paramount importance; we have a duty of care to help prevent staff becoming ill and to support them when they are. The Northern Ireland Office already has a series of effective policies and procedures in place which help achieve these aims. These include a Welfare Service and an independent confidential counselling service that is available 24 hours a day.