Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Thomas-Symonds and Jerome Mayhew

Thursday 23rd October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Jerome Mayhew (Broadland and Fakenham) (Con)]

16. How many working days have been impacted by strikes in the civil service since July 2024.

[The Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Nick Thomas-Symonds)]

I declare that I am a member of the Unite union and refer to my relevant entries in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests on support in general election campaigns. The Office for National Statistics estimates that 36,000 working days were lost because of labour disputes in the public administration and defence sector, which includes the majority of the civil service, between July 2024 and August 2025. That is down from the 95,000 days lost between May 2023 and June 2024.

[Jerome Mayhew]

I am grateful for that answer, albeit partial, from the Minister, because he is quite right: he relies on the Office for National Statistics for the compilation of these figures. Now, even its staff have a strike mandate. They are refusing to attend work even for two days a week. What are the Government doing to enforce attendance levels at work? When does he think the ONS will find time to report on it?

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

Attendance levels are certainly important, but the hon. Gentleman has got some chutzpah, because under the previous Prime Minister—I note he is no longer in his place, although he was earlier in the questions—the UK lost more days due to strike action than France did, and the hon. Gentleman is here trying to lecture us about it. We will work in partnership with trade unions to avoid unnecessary disruption and not end up in the situation that the last Government did.