Millions may get right to flexible work

Millions may get right to flexible work

Gordon Brown used his first Queen's speech yesterday to set out a potentially costly and controversial work-life balance agenda that could give flexible working rights to as many as 4.5 million extra parents. Employees with children as old as 17 could be extended rights that have proved incredibly popular to parents with much younger families.

At present the right to seek flexible working applies only to parents with children under six or parents of disabled children under 18.

The unexpected move will help neutralise Tory proposals to shore up family life, but it is also a response to apparent public support for a different way of working.

The government released a survey yesterday that suggested there was increasing interest in flexible working, with a surprising 93% of employers responding favourably to requests by staff.

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Mr Brown's office said he would definitely extend the rights but would consult business groups on whether they should apply only to parents with children at primary school or include parents with children as old as 17.

Ministers have appointed Sainsbury's human resources director, Imelda Walsh, to advise on implementing the plan. They see the measure as sitting alongside the efforts to encourage parents to take greater interest in their child's education.

Definitions of flexible working under the legislation include part-time working, job sharing, flexitime, working a compressed week and working from home. The right is available to any employee with 12 months' service, regardless of the size of the company. The request for flexible working can be rejected by an employer on the grounds of excessive costs.

The Conservatives portrayed the move as another example of a dithering Mr Brown being forced to follow a Tory agenda. Mr Cameron first backed flexible working for all parents in October 2006. The shadow chancellor, George Osborne, said last night: "We think up the policies, they steal them."

During fractious exchanges in the Commons yesterday, Mr Cameron focused as much on Mr Brown's character and fitness to govern as he did on policy. Mr Cameron accused him of "short-term tricks instead of long-term problem solving".

He also challenged Mr Brown to publish the civil service papers to back claims that he had been thinking of cutting inheritance tax before the Tories announced the populist stroke at its party conference.

As chancellor, Mr Brown pulled back from the measure days before delivering the budget in March, believing the priority was to control inflationary pressures.

With an election now two years away, Mr Brown made a deliberate effort to change gear, focusing on big long-term domestic challenges, such as raising the education age to 18, introducing new vocational diplomas, alongside A-Levels and building 3m new homes by 2020.

He also strongly hinted that he would introduce major changes to the accountability and structure of the police force in response to the report due to be published shortly by the former Northern Ireland chief constable Ronnie Flanagan.

But he said little new about plans to extend detention of terrorists without charge beyond 28 days partly since he has not yet finalised plans for greater parliamentary and judicial oversight.

In what could prove to be one of the most bitter battles of the next year, Mr Brown's aides signalled he wanted to introduce laws limiting party spending as well as caps on individual donations at around £50,000. Plans to extend state funding of parties have been dropped. Mr Brown is facing a backlash from anxious union leaders insistent that they will not tolerate any cap on donations.

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