Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the rights of older workers in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

The government’s Plan to Make Work Pay will strengthen employment rights for people, at all stages of their working lives, boosting fairness and equality in the workplace. Measures in the Employment Right’s Bill to make it easier to access flexible working may help older workers balance their work with changes in their personal circumstances. The existing right to one week of unpaid carer’s leave from day one may help older workers manage work and care commitments. The government is currently reviewing the implementation of unpaid Carer’s Leave, including examining the potential benefits of introducing paid Carer’s Leave, while being mindful of the cost and impact on small employers.