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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent representations he has made to energy companies on increasing flexible working to encourage uptake of jobs in that sector by women.

The Government supports flexible working and is clear about the benefits for employers and their employees, including in the energy sector.

We consulted last year on proposals to require large employers to publish flexible working policies and to advertise jobs as suitable for flexible working. We will respond to that consultation in due course. Since then, we committed in our Manifesto to make flexible working the default. Subject to consultation, we will bring forward these new measures in our Employment Bill.