Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending statutory adoption leave to the self-employed.

In contrast to employees, self-employed adopters do not need a statutory entitlement to adoption leave as they are able to decide themselves how much time off work they take and when.

Local Authorities may make a payment equivalent to Maternity Allowance in cases where adopters do not qualify for family related statutory pay because they are self-employed. This payment is discretionary and means-tested to ensure that resources are targeted at those adopters who need it most and is part of a package of post-adoption support.

Since 2010, we have taken significant steps to equalise the state benefits provided to the employed and self-employed, including giving the self-employed access to the full rate of the new State Pension for the first time, (worth up to £1,800/year more).

We continue to keep all differences in treatment between self-employed and employed people under review.