Employees in England are to be given the right to ask their managers for time off to attend training courses, it has been announced.

The measures, which will be detailed in November's Queen's Speech will constitute a major employment reform, Gordon Brown told MPs.

Speaking in the House of Commons, he said: "It is not only a threat to prosperity but unfair also that adults in work or looking for work are denied the opportunity to get the training they need to advance their careers or even the time off needed to do a course."

David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the move, pointing out that training is vital for the development of workforces.

However, employees need to take some responsibility for organising their own training, he added.

Under the scheme, people will be able to request time off for training and employers will have to serious consider it and will be allow to reject proposals if there is a good business reason for doing so.

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