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Prime Minister Gordon Brown set out proposals for an extension to the rights to flexible working in his first Queen's Speech yesterday.

"My government will bring forward proposals to help people achieve a better balance between work and family life," said Mr Brown.

Under the planned amendments, working parents with children up to the age of 17, will be given rights to request home work, part time work and flexible hours.

At present, the law demands that people with children under the age of six or disabled children up to the age of 18 have this right.

An independent review will now be commissioned by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), into how the extended rights will benefit people and how much the reforms will cost.

The announcement will come as good news for mature graduates with children searching for vacancies and indeed it was welcomed by the Trade Unions Congress (TUC).

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC, said that many people "would jump at the chance to alter their hours so that they can spend more time with their children during school holidays".

He added that the plans would come as a "bonus" to most working parents, especially those who have children at schools that do not offer pre- or after-school activities.


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