Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy – in the House of Commons at on 21 July 2020.
Michael Fabricant
Conservative, Lichfield
What steps his Department is taking to encourage home working; and if he will make a statement.
Amanda Solloway
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
Around 90% of employees already have a statutory right to request homeworking as well as other forms of flexible working. We are now encouraging employers and employees to discuss how work can be done safely at home or in a covid-secure workplace.
Michael Fabricant
Conservative, Lichfield
Well, a recent survey has shown that two thirds of people would prefer to work from home either full time or part time, rather than work all the time at the places they worked from pre-covid. With this change in attitudes, which means we will end up with less pollution and probably a better standard of living, what can the Government do, and what can she do, to encourage this type of working for those who want it?
Lindsay Hoyle
Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, Chair, Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, Chair, House of Commons Commission, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
When he said “she”, I am sure he meant the Minister.
Amanda Solloway
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
I am sure that my hon. Friend did not. We are aware of the wider benefits of flexible working. Nearly half of employees have worked from home during covid-19. Most employees already have the right to request flexible working, which employers can reject only for really sound business reasons. In our manifesto, we committed to take it further, and we will be looking at it in the light of covid.
