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Work and Families Bill

I like to frame legislation based on evidence, and here we have a clear piece of evidence that the law, since it was changed in 2002, is having a beneficial on employees and on businesses. I see no reason why we should not move forward even further, given the major problems we have with some of our young people and the need to have their parents there to help them. The Government’s own Work-Life Balance Challenge Fund revealed that 81 per cent of workplaces with flexible working policies have reported actual financial savings. 68 per cent reported a reduction in staff turnover, 50 per cent a reduction in absenteeism, and 50 per cent reported improved productivity. With evidence as strong as that, I do not see why we should not feel confident enough to move forward a little further than the Government are proposing. However, I welcome the commitment the Minister gave to review all this and to look again at the definition of ““carers”” and listen to the stakeholders. I strongly suspect that I shall be moved to come back to this on Report, but in the mean time I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 17 and 18 not moved.]