To support his request for civil servants to return to office working, this week the minister for government efficiency, Jacob Rees-Mogg, published a league table supposedly showing the amount of civil servants who worked from the office from the 4 April.
According to the table’s figures, only 48% of MoJ personnel were present at their desks in Petty France and elsewhere during that week. This places the MoJ fifth out of 19 government departments, being only behind the Department for International Trade (73%), the Department for Health and Social Care (72%), Rees-Mogg’s own Cabinet Office (69%) and the Ministry of Defence (67%).
The MoJ divides its ranking with the Department for Transport and HM Treasury. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (31%), the Department for Work and Pensions (27%) and the Department for Education (25%) sit at the bottom of the table.
It is considered that the MoJ’s attendance record is particularly good, taking into account that the office’s lack of lifestyle boosting attractions are currently being added by private sector firms wishing to encourage staff to return to their desks.