§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what proportion of the staff of her Department are(a) job sharing, (b) term working and (c) engaged in another form of flexible working. [42430]
§ Ms HewittCurrently in DTI HQ there are 28 job shares; there are no individuals working school term times only and the staff survey shows that 78 per cent. of staff state that their managers allow working patterns to help them balance work and home life.
Currently our data is limited, as many flexible working patterns are negotiated locally. However, on 2 April of this year the department will be launching a new flexible working policy (including full guidance for managers and staff) to ensure that new ways of working are available to all individuals and that the benefits to stakeholders, customers, managers and staff are fully maximised. We will also be putting in place mechanisms to monitor the increased take-up of flexible working.