Will UK flexitime reforms take effect, as initially proposed, by the end of April 2009?

Plans to allow 4.5 million parents to work flexibly are to be delayed by the Government as it searches for ways to help businesses survive the economic downturn.

Lord Mandelson, the Secretary of State for Business, has ordered his officials to review all policies in the pipeline to ease the burden on firms so they are less likely to shed jobs, cut investment or go bust. The plan to extend the right to flexitime from parents of children under six to all those with children up to 16 was trumpeted by Gordon Brown and approved by Labour's annual conference last month. It looks likely, however, to be kicked into the long grass.

Lord Mandelson's efforts to cut red tape for firms are bound to provoke controversy. Extending the right to request flexible working for all parents of under-16s was a key plank of talks with the unions this summer. It was due to take effect next April and an estimated 811,000 mothers and fathers were expected to request flexible working. With parents of children aged up to six, who can already request flexible hours, some 90 per cent of such requests are being granted. But the extension would cost employers an extra £69m a year.

Read the full The Independent article here.