To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government are taking to encourage employers to make provision for job shares. [52249]

holding answer 27 February 2006

The Government encourage all types of flexible working across the workforce by providing detailed guidance, promoting the benefits and sharing best practice.

Business Link provides practical support and advice for employers on starting, maintaining and growing a business. Apart from help from individual advisers, the national award-winning website www.businesslink.gov.uk provides information about the benefits of, and different types of, flexible working, including job-sharing. Employers and employees can also access advice from the ACAS website and helpline.

Since April 2003 parents with children under six and disabled children under 18 have had the statutory right to request flexible working. The law has been a success, with nearly 90 per cent. of requests agreed. Building on this, the Work and Families Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes extending the scope of the existing law to include carers of adults—a group who face particular challenges in balancing their caring responsibilities with work.