HC Deb 14 February 2002 vol 380 cc535-6W
36. Mrs. Betty Williams

To ask the Minister what steps she is taking to encourage flexibility at work for women. [33831]

Ms Hewitt

The Government's Employment Bill will give mothers, and fathers, of young children a right to request to work flexibly and set out the procedure that employers will have to follow to ensure applications are considered seriously. This new right will apply from April 2003.

The Government's work-life balance campaign encourages all employers to introduce working practices, particularly flexible working arrangements, to enable mothers, and other employees, to balance better their work with other responsibilities. The fourth round of the Work-Life Challenge Fund, which provides consultancy

support to employers looking to adopt such polices, is currently under way and employers are invited to submit applications by the closing date of 8 March