Nick Clegg: 'Current parental leave rules belong in 1950s' Businesses anxious about changes Businesses have expressed concerns about the changes, suggesting they could increase friction between staff and employers, who might be reluctant to grant time off. Critics point out that companies can still refuse demands for flexible working as long as they provide a "business" reason, meaning Mr Clegg's proposals may not change much in reality. Liesl Smith of the Federation of Small Businesses told Woman's Hour that smaller firms already feel they "are doing as much as they can." She added that the "danger is that you will put business owners off employing men and women who want to have a family," with firms opting for younger or older people instead. She said that it would be better if the government implemented the proposals with larger companies and the public sector first, rather than small businesses who will find the proposals difficult to put in place. Mr Clegg acknowledged that there was anxiety amongst businesses over the proposals, but said the government was taking time to consult with firms over the plans. Parents would be expected to give their employers notice of any plans to share leave, he said. He added that many businesses had been offering flexible working for years without any guidance from government and that it is "not rocket science." MPs launch women in workplace inquiry Mr Clegg's announcement came as Parliament's Business, Innovation and Skills Committee launched its inquiry into women in the workplace. Ann McKechin, a Glasgow MP behind the inquiry, told Woman's Hour that the committee would investigate issues such as why more women are not progressing in science careers, and ageism. She said the committee wants to hear about ordinary women's experiences and how they have been affected by the recession. Other areas the committee will explore include whether current legislation goes far enough in tackling the gender pay gap and what should be done to promote part-time work at all levels of the workplace. Adrian Bailey MP, chair of the BIS committee, said: "Discriminating against female employees is not only unfair to women, it is detrimental to businesses and damaging to the economy. Complacency, inactivity and stereotyping can all act as barriers to progress. We need to know what steps have been taken to tackle gender inequality, what effect they have had and what more might be done. "We want to hear from real people, talking about real issues so that, together, we can find real solutions to this vital problem," he added.