Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what policies his Department is implementing to promote active fatherhood; and if he will make it his policy that fathers be required to sign birth certificates.

Our objective is to support families to create and maintain good quality relationships to sustain a safe, stable and nurturing environment for their children. We believe that fathers play an integral role in family life and that is why the government has worked hard to ensure that families have the support they need. In particular, we have invested approximately £8m for 2015-16 providing services for couples – mothers and fathers - during key transitions and in difficulty. We have ensured that all specifications for new contracts specifically include a requirement for providers to engage fathers and ensure their services are father friendly.

We have also introduced the Family Test which ensures that potential impacts on family functioning are carefully considered as part of the policymaking process, including impacts on all members’ ability to play a full role in family life.

The legislative provisions to introduce mandatory joint registration remain on the statute and we will continue to consider how joint registration can support fathers’ involvement as part of a wider package of support.