Shadow minister for families Maria Miller (pictured) has publicly affirmed the Conservatives' support for flexible working.
Speaking at a reception after a parliamentary symposium, Families at Work: What Role for Employers in Family Policy, at the Houses of Parliament, supported by HR magazine, Miller also endorsed childcare vouchers and made positive noises about the importance of eldercare vouchers.
Miller's comments come as Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform considers responses to its consultation on extending flexible working rights (see above). Business secretary Peter Mandelson angered campaigners in October by saying forthcoming regulations, including flexible working, were under review.
Sarah Jackson, chief executive of Working Families, says: "I'm pleased about the Conservative Party showing their continued support for flexible working - especially given Mandelson's recent wobble."
Building on the success of childcare vouchers, Miller said she is in discussions with shadow Treasury colleagues on how the childcare voucher model can be used to reform tax credits.
She also emphasised the "very clear argument" for the need to support employees with caring responsibilities, driven by the "ticking time bomb" of the ageing society. But she acknowledged all proposals would have to be carefully costed.
HR is campaigning for the introduction of a single tax-exempt care voucher to enable employers to help employees with caring responsibilities for elderly and disabled dependants as well as those who have children. Click HERE
