Departmental Sick Leave

Norman Lamb
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department were on sick leave for (a) over 30 days, (b) over 50 days and (c) over 100 days in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins
The following table details the number of staff within the Northern Ireland Office who have had periods of absence for (a) 30-days and over, (b) 50-days and over and (c) 100-days and over in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

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|                                |30-days and over|50-days and over|100-days and over|
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|1 April 2008 to 21 November 2008|110             |72              |27               |
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|1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008   |137             |99              |40               |
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|1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007   |143             |91              |38               |
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|1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006   |128             |74              |30               |
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|1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005   |118             |73              |32               |
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Norman Lamb
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff in his Department were recorded as having been on sick leave for over 12 months on 31 December in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins
The following table details the number of staff in the Northern Ireland Office recorded as having had a period of absence of over 12 months on 31 December in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

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|As at December each year|Number|
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|2004                    |0     |
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|2005                    |1     |
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|2006                    |2     |
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|2007                    |1     |
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