NEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE - FIRST STEP IN GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN FOR WORK - HOME BALANCE

A new committee to provide expert advice on the development of the Government’s campaign to promote a better work-home balance for employees was announced today (24 January) by Margaret Hodge, Minister for Employment and Equal Opportunities.

She also announced that the Institute for Economic Research will carry out research on flexible working practices on the Government’s behalf. The baseline survey will provide data on what flexible employment practices there are currently. This will be used to influence other employers and monitor the impact of the Government’s campaign for Work-Home Balance which will be launched shortly.

Mrs Hodge said
"The establishment of this new Advisory Committee is an exciting first step in our work to unify the interests of employers and employees - so that employers improve their profitability and productivity and employees achieve a better balance between work and home life. The Committee brings together key partners from business, trades unions and the voluntary sector. There job will be to help us brainstorm new ways through which we can transform the work culture in Britain.

"There is a basic bottom line business case for introducing policies which help people to balance work and home life. Employers save on recruitment costs by retaining skilled staff. There is a drop in sick leave and absenteeism and employees are more loyal, and better motivated. All this helps businesses gain greater productivity and higher profits. We know this to be the case with employers who have implemented flexible working practices already.

"We are currently putting the finishing touches to a major campaign to promote good practice which will deliver a real culture change. That campaign will be delivered in partnership with leading employers."

Will Hutton, a member of the Advisory Committee and Chair of The Industrial Society, said:

"In an increasingly long-hours culture the Government is right to identify striking the balance between work and ‘home’ as a central preoccupation for more and more British citizens. The implications are far reaching and will require innovative and ambitious thinking, and I am pleased to accept the invitation to join the advisory committee on this question."

The members of the committee are:

Stephen Alambritis - Head of Parliamentary Affairs, Federation of Small Businesses. Mr Alambritis is also a member of the Better Regulation Task Force and the Disability Rights Task Force. Appointed until 17 January 2002. No political activity declared.

Fiona Cannon - the Head of Equal Opportunities, Lloyds TSB Group. Ms Cannon is a member of CBI’s Equal Opportunities Panel and sits on a number of employer working groups. She also chaired Employers for Childcare, a voluntary group of employers committed to the development of a national childcare strategy. Appointed until 17 January 2002. No political activity declared.

Kay Carberry - Head of Equal Rights at the Trades Union Congress. Ms Carberry is also an EOC Commissioner and member of the National Council for One Parent Families. Appointed until 17 January 2002. She has canvassed on behalf of the Labour Party.

Shirley Conran - Journalist, best selling author and Chair of Mothers in Management. Appointed until 17 January 2001. No political activity declared.

Pat Corcoran - Diversity Director, Business in the Community and Operations Director for Opportunity Now. Ms Corcoran has previously acted as adviser on equal opportunities for Thames Television. Appointed until 17 January 2001. No political activity declared.

Joanna Foster - Chair, National Work-Life Forum, The BT Forum and the Lloyds/TSB Foundation and Deputy Chair of Governors at Oxford Brookes University. Ms Foster was formerly Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission and President of Relate. Appointed until 17 January 2002. No political activity declared.

Will Hutton - Chair, The Industrial Society and until recently Editor -In-Chief of the Observer Newspaper. Among other public appointments Mr Hutton is also Chairman of the Commission on NHS Accountability and the Employment Policy Institute and Governor of the London School of Economics. Appointed until 17 January 2001. He spoke on behalf of a Labour party candidate at the last election.

Sue Levett - Director, Family-Friendly UK Ltd, currently employed by the Dorset Training and Enterprise Council. Ms Levett is a governor of a local comprehensive school in Dorset and member of two local Early Years Development and Childcare partnerships. Appointed until 17 January 2001. No political activity declared.

Mary MacLeod - Chief Executive, National Family and Parenting Institute and previously Director of Policy, Research and Development at ChildLine. Appointed until 17 January 2001. No political activity declared.

Jeremy Miller - Director of Marketing and External Affairs at the Engineering Employers’ Federation. Previously Assistant Managing Director at Gavin Anderson & Company. Mr Miller is a member of the HM Treasury Group on EMU preparations. Appointed until 17 January 2001. He has canvassed on behalf of the Labour Party.

Richard Mills - Chief Executive, Surrey County Council. Mr Mills is a member of a number of local authority networking groups. Appointed until 17 January 2001. No political activity declared.

Jill Mortimer - Equalities Issues Adviser, Employers’ Organisation for Local Government. Appointed until 17 January 2002. No political activity declared.

Surinder Sharma - Corporate Equal Opportunities Manager, Littlewoods. Mr Sharma was previously Head of Equal Opportunities at the BBC and is a local magistrate and chair of Leicester Racial Equality Council. Appointed until 17 January 2002. No political activity declared.

Pam Walton - Co-ordinator, New Ways to Work - an internationally recognised independent charitable organisation committed to promoting flexible working. Appointed until 17 January 2002. No political activity declared.

Diana Whitworth - Chief Executive, Carers National Association and previously Head of Public Affairs at the National Consumer Council. Appointed until 17 January 2001. Canvassed on behalf of the Labour Party at the last election.

Sheila Wild - Acting Head of Policy, Equal Opportunities Commission. Appointed until 17 January 2002. No political activity declared.