Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026, to Question 120055, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, whether time taken for lunch counts towards the 37 hour limit; and whether a full-time civil servant would be permitted to work from 9am to 6.15pm from Monday to Thursday under a compressed four day week.

Staff who work full-time, have the following conditioned hours per week:

• 36 hours net – if their normal place of work is in London and if appointed before 1 June 2013
• 37 hours net – if their normal place of work is elsewhere

If they were appointed to the Civil Service within the department on or after 1 June 2013:

• 37 hours net – in all locations (including London)

Net hours do not include meal breaks.

Staff working a compressed four-day week have the flexibility to agree their daily working pattern to reach the required conditioned hours per week. As provided, the example hours would not be suitable owing to the reasons given.