Departments: Sick Leave

Dr. Cable
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what average number of days per year was taken by staff in his Department as sick leave in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Mr. Hain
Figures relating to sickness absence are available for the last three years.

For each year, the average number of days sick absence recorded for each member of staff is as follows:

--------------
|       |Days|
--------------
|2004-05|4.61|
--------------
|2005-06|3.22|
--------------
|2006-07|4.73|
--------------