Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to publish its evaluation of the right to request flexible working.

We have started the data collection for the evaluation of both the Shared Parental Leave (and Pay) and the extension of the Right to Request Flexible Working policies. We anticipate being in a position to report on the Shared Parental Leave evaluation in 2019 and the Right to Request Flexible Working in 2020.

The Government has set out the largest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. Helping people to balance their work and home lives is vital in creating an inclusive economy where those with caring responsibilities can continue working. That is why in October we announced that we would consult on creating a duty for employers to consider whether a job can be done flexibly, and make that clear when advertising. We also announced that we would consult on requiring employers with more than 250 staff to publish their parental leave and pay policies, so job applicants can make informed decisions about whether they can combine the role with caring for their family.