Departments: Sick Leave

Dr. Cable
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 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. Thomas
For the years 2001-05 (the latest for which figures are available) the average working days per employee lost to sick leave for DFID are:

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|    |Days|
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|2001|6.0 |
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|2002|8.0 |
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|2003|7.0 |
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|2004|4.8 |
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|2005|5.7 |
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