The UK Government is to completely review parental leave and pay in a bid to offer more support to families in work.
The review will examine ways of modernising all types of parental leave, maternal, paternal and shared parental leave as the government tries to make the system easier to use. At present the system of shared leave for parents does not attract many couples to take it up, and the government believes the whole system is too complex.
It is reckoned in research papers that improving the parental leave offered to new parents helps to close the gender pay gap and will boost the economy.
The government’s Plan to Make Work Pay promises to grow the economy and break down any barriers to opportunity.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “Those early years are the most special time for families, but too many struggle to balance their work and home lives.
“Supporting working parents isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s vital for our economy.
“Through our Plan to Make Work Pay, we’re already improving the parental leave system with new day 1 rights. This ambitious review will leave no stone unturned as we deliver for working families.”
Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, who became the first UK Cabinet minister to take the full statutory paternity leave earlier this year, said: “Improving parental rights, supporting families and making work pay are key priorities for the UK Government and I wholeheartedly welcome the launch of this review.
“As a working dad of two girls, I fully get just how magical and challenging a time it is welcoming new ones into the world. These are unique moments families should be allowed to cherish together without fear over jobs and pay and I look forward to the review delivering a fairer and easier system which empowers parents, nurtures family wellbeing and boosts the economy. It’s just one of the ways our Plan for Change is supporting hard-working families by making the biggest improvements to workers’ rights in a generation.”
Mr Murray also brought his younger daughter to a recent meeting in Edinburgh when he signed an agreement between the Scotland Office and Scottish Chambers of Commerce,
