The Department issued guidance to staff on the days in question, advising them to make reasonable efforts to come into work and, if this was not possible, to work from home using, for example, the Department's remote access. Staff were also told to also take account of local advice in the light of weather conditions and travel arrangements.
Absences were handled locally by managers and information was not collected centrally on those unable to work. Therefore, the information on staff numbers, costs and working hours lost could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.