Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to support women in the workplace with flexible working.

Flexible working can make work more inclusive for those facing barriers to staying in and getting on at work, including women navigating parenthood, caring responsibilities, health conditions, and other personal circumstances.

We are changing legislation through the Employment Rights Bill to make it more likely that flexible working requests are accepted.

Where employers do reject a request, they will be required to explain the basis for their decision.

We also intend to run a public consultation in early 2026 on a new process for employers planning to reject a request to prompt dialogue about what types of flexible working might be feasible.