This Section amends Sections 80G and 80H of the ERA 1996.
	Subsection (2) amends section 80G of the ERA 1996 in accordance with subsections (3) to (5). Section 80G(1) sets out an employer’s duty to deal with an application for flexible working made under Section 80F of the ERA 1996 in a reasonable manner.
	Subsection (3) substitutes subsection (1)(b) of the existing legislation to add a requirement that an employer may only refuse a flexible working request if it considers that a specified ground or grounds applies and if it is reasonable to refuse the request on that ground or those grounds. The specified grounds remain the same as the current legislation but are moved to new subsection (1ZA).
	Subsection (4) adds a new requirement that where a flexible working application is refused, the notification required under section 80G(1)(aa) must state the ground or grounds for refusing the application and explain why the employer considers that decision is reasonable.
	Subsection (5) inserts a new subsection (1E) which allows the Secretary of State to specify steps in regulations which an employer must take in order to comply with the requirement to consult before rejecting an application which is contained in subsection (1)(aza) of Section 80G(1) of the ERA 1996.
	Subsection (6) amends subsection 80H(1)(a) by substituting "comply with" with "act in accordance with". Section 80H of the ERA 1996 sets out the procedure for complaints made to an employment tribunal.
	Subsection (7) amends Section 202 of the ERA 1996 to insert Part 8A into the scope of this section. Section 202 states that where, in the opinion of a Minister, the disclosure of information will be contrary to national security then nothing in any of the provisions to which this section applies requires any person to disclose the information, and no person shall disclose the information in any proceedings in any court or tribunal relating to any of those provisions. This means that the security services (MI5, GCHQ, SiS) are exempt from disclosing any information related to flexible working requests if, in the opinion of a Minister, it will be contrary to national security.
Part 1: Employment Rights Flexible working Section 9: Right to request flexible working