Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increasing fathers' entitlement to paid leave on (1) gender inequalities in pay, (2) career progression, (3) employment, (4) the provision of childcare, and (5) the mental health of both parents.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As set out in our Manifesto, the Government is committed to making it easier for fathers and partners to take Paternity Leave.
In 2019 we consulted on high-level options and principles for reforming the parental leave and pay system. The recently published response sets out changes which include enabling fathers to take Paternity Leave in two separate blocks of one week at any time in the first year. Allowing fathers to take time off work towards the end of the mother’s 52 weeks of Maternity Leave could also allow fathers to solo parent whilst supporting mothers to return to work.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the survey conducted by the group Pregnant Then Screwed in June 2022 which found that shared parental leave was only used by between two and eight per cent of eligible couples, what steps they are taking to encourage more parents to use shared parental leave.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The number of parents taking Shared Parental Pay has increased in line with predications made when the policy was introduced and has doubled between 2015-16 and 2021-22.
In June 2021, the Government introduced the Shared Parental Leave tool on gov.uk which supports parents to plan their leave. The tool has received positive feedback from users on both its ability to support the planning of Shared Parental Leave and facilitate conversations between parents and employers.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing neonatal care leave and pay before April 2025.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are committed to introducing Neonatal Care Leave and Pay as quickly as possible. Work is ongoing across Government to deliver these new entitlements.
Delivery requires updates to HM Revenue and Customs IT systems, support for employers and payroll providers to implement changes, guidance for employers and individuals, and for Parliamentary consideration of a significant amount of secondary legislation. These actions will take approximately 18 months.
It is also necessary to align the ‘go live’ date with the start of a tax year. This means April 2025 is the earliest date for the introduction of Neonatal Care Leave and Pay.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the report by Pregnant Then Screwed entitled Leave in the Lurch, Paternity Leave, Gender Equality and the UK Economy, published on 15 June 2023; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the rate of Statutory Paternity Leave.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has not made an assessment of this report. As set out in our Manifesto, the Government is committed to making it easier for father and partners to take Paternity Leave. In 2019, we also consulted on high-level options and principles for reforming the parental leave and pay system. We have analysed the responses to the consultation and will publish our response in due course.
The standard rate of Statutory Paternity Pay is reviewed annually. From April 2023, it increased by September's Consumer Price Index figure of 10.1 per cent to £172.48.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate she has made of the number of people eligible for the entitlements set out in the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act who will not receive those entitlements between the date the Bill received Royal Assent and the date the Act is due to be implemented.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are committed to introducing Neonatal Care Leave and Pay as quickly as possible. Work is ongoing across Government to deliver these new entitlements.
It is not possible to deliver the Neonatal Care Leave and Pay entitlement immediately after Royal Assent as delivery requires updates to HMRC IT systems and a significant amount of secondary legislation.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when her Department plans to publish a response to its consultation entitled Good Work Plan: Proposals to support families, published on 19 July 2019.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In 2019, the Government consulted on high-level options for reforming parental leave and pay. The Government is currently considering responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report Burnt Out Britain published by the think tank Onward on 3 April, regarding (1) gender disparities in time spent on childcare, (2) gender disparities in time spent on housework, (3) the fragmentation of free time, and (4) the effect of the foregoing on the mental health of Britons.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The ‘Burnt Out Britain’ Onward report raises a number of important issues, particularly in relation to the ways in which modern life has a disproportionate impact on women. The report highlights areas of particular concern to women including pay disparities and more time spent on domestic tasks and childcare (in comparison to men). It attributes overarching issues regarding the pace of modern lifestyles to digital technology and different choices that people make with regards to employment and domestic arrangements. The report also recognises that, while Government does have a part to play in responding to and tackling particular aspects of these issues, this is a limited role in many cases.
Government is committed to enabling all women to thrive and to reach their full potential, which is why steps have been taken to ensure that all parents are able to balance work and family life.
Actions include:
Over £3.5 billion in each of the past 3 years on our early education entitlements to support families with the cost of childcare. At this year’s Budget, the Chancellor announced that by 2027-28, this Government will expect to be spending in excess of £8bn every year on free hours and early education. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.
Shared parental leave and pay, so that both parents can be part of those crucial early years. Our online tool is now making it easier for parents to check if they are eligible for leave and pay, and plan their leave and pay.
Making it easier for everyone to access flexible working. We have committed to give all employees the right to request flexible working from their first day of employment, through support for the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Private Members’ Bill. This will ensure that an additional estimated 2.2 million people will be able to request changes to the hours, times, or place of work; so that they can also have more control over their free time.
The Government’s Women’s Health Strategy, published last year, set out our 10 year ambitions for boosting the care of women and girls. One of the priority areas identified by the strategy was mental health and wellbeing, with the report outlining how the Government will ensure delivery partners are equipped to develop tailored plans and interventions that meet the needs of different groups.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps her Department has taken to improve access to paternity leave.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As set out in the 2019 Manifesto, the Government is committed to making Paternity Leave easier to take.
In 2019 the Government consulted on high-level options for reforming parental leave and pay. We are currently considering responses to the consultation and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Retained EU Law Bill, whether her Department plans to (a) retain, (b) replace or (c) revoke the Maternity and Parental Leave etc Regulations 1999.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our high standards in maternity rights are not dependent on us mirroring the same rules as the EU. The UK has gone further and moved faster than the EU in the past. For instance, we provide a year of maternity leave with the option to convert to shared parental leave to enable parents to share care, whilst the EU minimum maternity leave is just 14 weeks.
The Government will not make any changes to the system of maternity or parental leave through the REUL Bill. Regulations related to these entitlements will be preserved.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of GPs that have left their practice (a) immediately following and (b) in the year following a period of parental leave in each of the last five years.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The information requested is not held centrally.