Government gets serious about flexible working

As reported everywhere, including here at The Times and here at the BBC, everybody (not just carers and parents) should get the chance to ask for flexible working patterns, according to children's minister Beverley Hughes. In a book (Politics for a New Generation) scheduled to be published this spring by the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank, Hughes writes: "Work-life balance is still unobtainable for many low-income families, where the impact of low pay, job insecurity and long or atypical working hours bite hardest." It's fairly obvious who thinks this is a good idea (e.g. equality campaigners Fawcett Society) and those who are not so keen (CBI, Federation of Small Businesses).