Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months; what proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in his Department; and what the cost was to his Department of officials taking sick leave over that period.

The Treasury’s sickness absence data for ‘mental health and related issues includes stress related conditions. HM Treasury publishes data in the Annual report and Accounts. The data for January to December 2017 can be found in the 2017/18 report and accounts, and data for the period January to December 2018 will be reported in the 2018/19 annual report and accounts which is due to be published in July.

For information I have attached a link below to the 2017/18 report.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-annual-report

We do not currently make an estimate of the cost of sick absence to the department.

HM Treasury has the following support in place for those that are suffering due to stress or poor mental health including:

• Stress and Mental Health Awareness e-learning – which covers learning about stress, what the stressors can be and how to identify and lessen stress
• Stress risk assessment used to identify stressors and implement controls to help reduce/eliminate the stress
• Workplace Adjustments including flexible working
• Stress Management guidance
• Wellbeing Gateway
• Mental Health Tips
• Tips to help reduce stress
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Employee Assistance Programme - provides a number of confidential advisory, counselling and support services. Their helpline is available 24/7
• Occupational Health provision
• Mental Wellbeing Network
• Treasury Supporters who are employees trained to help colleagues work through any concerns, however serious whatever their cause
• Wellness Action Plans
• Time to Talk Workshops
• HR Advisers and Health, Safety & Wellbeing Team
• HSE Stress Talking Toolkit