Up to three quarters of Whitehall STILL empty as civil servants refuse to go back to offices

UP to three quarters of Whitehall is still empty as civil servants refuse to go back to offices, a minister admitted last night.

The work from home order was finally lifted last month — but Downing Street still will not insist staff return to their desks, leaving it up to employers to decide.

But Education Minister Gillian Keegan said the time had come to lead by example — with older people having an obligation to act.

As urban day-time economies struggle to recover, she confessed her own department was still a ghost ship.

Only one fifth of mandarins have put away Zoom and are turning up to work.

Ministers are worried that careers will be affected and thousands of jobs in city centres lost if staff continue working from kitchen tables.

Ms Keegan said: “It is safe to go back — and I think more and more people will return soon.”

But she added that probably 20 to 25 per cent were back in her department, although different people were in on different days.

Ms Keegan said: “For young people, that is important to build that social capital and to learn from others, to be part of that working environment in the flesh as opposed to your bedroom.”

She claimed many were desperate to go back in and socialise with peers again.

Ms Keegan insisted: “We have that obligation to pass on our knowledge, our skills, our talents, to nurture people, to mentor people. There is a limit to how much you can do that on screen.”

Other MPs also pointed out younger employees could learn from being in the same room as experienced colleagues.

Tory Richard Holden called on businesses and MPs to lead the charge back, insisting: “Presence matters.”