Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his comments on returning to offices at the British Chamber of Commerce Conference on 17 May 2023, what assessment he has made of the benefits to (a) employees, (b) companies and (c) the economy of a return to office working.

I agree with the Chancellor of the Exchequer that there are social, creative, and developmental benefits to working from an office on a regular basis. The Government will continue to work with relevant stakeholders representing both employers and employees on this issue of remote working.

It is also important to acknowledge that flexible working – including but not limited to remote working - can help employees balance work commitments and personal circumstances, such as parenting, caring, managing a health condition, or transitioning from full-time work later in life, but the Government’s view remains that there is no one size fits all policy.

Decisions on whether a job can be done flexibly should be taken between employers and employees.