To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the estimated cost to local authorities was of teachers' (a) absence and (b) sick leave in each of the last five years. (240608)

The information requested is not collected centrally.

The number of teaching days taken as sickness absence by full and part-time teachers in England in the calendar years 2000 to 2007 can be found in Table 13 of the School Workforce Statistical First Releases, January 2008 (Revised) at the following web link:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000813/index.shtml