23 November 2007
MPs have hit out at the rate of staff sickness at the Department for Transport and its agencies, which cost taxpayers £214m in 2005.
The Public Accounts Committee report, published on November 20, showed that DfT staff were absent for an average of 10.4 working days.
But the rates in two of its agencies, the Driving Standards Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, were both in excess of 13 days.
PAC chair Edward Leigh said: 'Sick leave seems to be a way of life in two large agencies of the department. The rate is principally down to relatively few members of staff on long-term sickness absence.' The DfT had recently 'roused itself to review such cases' and crack down where appropriate, he added.
The report said there appeared to be a correlation between high levels of sickness absence and relatively low-paid, repetitive administrative jobs. Mental health and stress issues were the main cause – the most common of them due to non-work-related matters.
The MPs said that the DfT could save £3m a year if it reduced its sickness absence levels to those of comparable organisations.
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