Parental Leave and Pay Review

Lord Hunt of Wirral Excerpts

Tuesday 20th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Sherlock (Lab)]

My Lords, I think the noble Lord has been listening to my colleague and noble friend Lady Smith of Malvern. This Government are committed to driving up skills as a way of driving out the growth in unemployment in this country. We must invest in the skills that are out there, making sure our young people get skills, that people have the chance to re-skill, and that we give employers the skills they need. Through our industrial strategy, we are looking at some of the key growth areas, making sure we understand what will drive them, what they need in future staff, and how we invest in them. Better-skilled jobs are good for the economy and good for families. That is the way forward.

[Lord Hunt of Wirral (Con)]

My Lords, when we dealt with the Employment Rights Bill, just before Royal Assent there was a draft implementation plan, which the noble Lord, Lord Fox, referred to. We were promised that the Government would publish a new, revised implementation plan on or around Royal Assent, but we are still waiting. When is it going to come?

[Baroness Sherlock (Lab)]

My Lords, I have no idea. I will find out what is happening and, if there is anything out there, I am happy to write to the noble Lord with it. However, I tell him this: we had lots of long battles in this House over the Employment Rights Bill but it is now an Act, and it is surely now time for all of us to make sure that we engage well, listen to employers and take the time to get this right for the benefit of staff and employers everywhere, and of the country.