To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what flexi-time arrangements were available to staff of his Department in each of the last five years; and how many staff participated in such arrangements in each such year. (290583)

Flexi-time arrangements are just one of many flexible working arrangements that are available to staff.

Participants in the flexi time arrangement are required to be present during certain hours of the day, known as “core-time”. However, subject to operational needs and line management agreement, participants may start and finish work each day at the times they choose during the “flexible range” (ie the hours before and after core-time), provided they complete their net conditioned hours exclusive of lunch-breaks (36 hours per week in London and 37 elsewhere) during the agreed “accounting period”.

Subject to the workflow and reasonable demands of the office, staff may accumulate in any accounting period a credit balance of up to 22.2 hours (21.6 hours in London) or a debit balance of up to 11.1 hours (10.8 hours in London). Staff should not arrive at work and finish work in such a way as to accumulate credit hours without regard to the proper needs of the office.

Flexi time arrangements are delegated to line managers and no central record is kept. Therefore, the number of staff participating in such arrangements in each of the last five years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.