To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress his Department has made in extending the right to request flexible working arrangements to cover care of older children further to the consultation strategy published in February 2005. (141265)

I have been asked to reply.

The responses to the Work and Families consultation in February 2005 showed that carers should be the priority group in any extension of the right to request flexible working. As a result we extended the right to 2.65 million carers of adults in April. We are currently keeping the law under review.