Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to encourage a better work-life balance in the UK.

Employees in the UK have a variety of different leave entitlements which can help them balance work with other commitments or interests. These range from short term leave to cover emergencies, through annual leave, to a range of entitlements to parental leave and pay. The Government is also considering new employment rights for carers.

In addition, the Government continues to support flexible working practices to help people manage their work other commitments. Employees with 26 weeks of continuous service have a right to request flexible working and we are considering a new duty on employers to be clear when advertising a job whether it is available on a flexible basis.