Four-day working week

That this House understands the importance of exploring the possibility of a shorter working week, including a four-day week, which trials have shown can benefit workers, employers, the economy, society and the environment; recognises that companies in the world's biggest four-day week trial saw healthy growth, with an average revenue increase of 34.5 per cent compared to a distinct and comparable six month period, which proved that productivity can be increased through better health and wellbeing and lower staff turnover, and that 92 per cent of the companies that took part in the trial continued with the four-day week after the trial period had ended; recognises further the potential benefits to staff, including those with caring responsibilities, such as significantly reduced childcare costs for parents; notes that, during a trial in South Cambridgeshire Council, staff sickness was reduced by 33 per cent; welcomes the PCS union's campaign for a four-day week pilot in the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the constructive engagement that the union is having with the Department; and calls on the Department to follow the lead taken by the Scottish Government enterprise agencies and take steps to implement a pilot for a trial period.