Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

The Department for Transport requires staff who are working in a hybrid pattern to attend the workplace for at least 60% of their working time. This is monitored by line management and must take account of leave patterns, visits to other work sites and other legitimate absences. The core department operates an attendance record system which provides sufficient data for line management to monitor attendance and take appropriate action. Line managers are responsible for tracking individual attendance within their area and taking action. Due to the operation of the system and the number of reasons staff could legitimately be out of the office, this does not provide definitive central data on how many staff are meeting the required level of attendance, with that managed at local level.

If a member of staff fails to meet the required level of attendance without good reason, their manager may suspend the facility of home working or require that they attend the workplace on agreed days. Failure to attend the workplace when instructed to do so is a disciplinary matter which may result in formal action up to and including dismissal.