Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how his Department is working with the Department for Education to assess the potential impact of statutory kinship care leave on (a) placement stability for children and (b) children's educational outcomes as part of the Government's review of parental leave and related employment rights.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current parental leave and pay entitlements, as well as the needs of working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers. We are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders and considering a wide range of evidence as part of the Review. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with findings which will outline next steps for any potential reforms.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the Department for Education's decision to provide paid kinship leave to its own employees when considering whether statutory employment rights for kinship carers should form part of the Government's review of parental leave.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current parental leave and pay entitlements, as well as the needs of working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers. We are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders and considering a wide range of evidence as part of the Review. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with findings which will outline next steps for any potential reforms.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department has received advice from the Department for Education on the introduction of statutory kinship care leave following publication of the Education Committee's report Children's social care.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current parental leave and pay entitlements, as well as the needs of working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers. We are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders and considering a wide range of evidence as part of the Review. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with findings which will outline next steps for any potential reforms.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether the evidence received by the Education Committee during its inquiry into children's social care, and the Committee's recommendation that the Government should legislate for statutory kinship care leave at the earliest opportunity, will inform the Government's review of parental leave and related employment rights.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all current parental leave and pay entitlements, as well as the needs of working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers. We are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders and considering a wide range of evidence as part of the Review. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with findings which will outline next steps for any potential reforms.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will take steps to help strengthen (a) the quality of service targets in the universal service obligation and (b) the effectiveness of Ofcom's enforcement of those targets by Royal Mail.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator, to monitor and enforce Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation. The Government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions.
Ofcom fined Royal Mail £5.6m for failing to meet its obligations in 2022/23. It continues to hold Royal Mail to account and has said it will take appropriate further enforcement action as required in response to failure to meet quality of service targets. I have also raised concerns with Royal Mail’s parent company and will continue do so if service levels fail to improve.
I note that Ofcom’s recent call for inputs on the future of the universal postal service set out the importance of reliability and affordability in consumers’ expectations for postal services and that it will consider if further safeguards are necessary to ensure people’s needs are met.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Royal Mail’s fulfilment of the Universal Service Obligation in South London in 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
As the independent regulator for the postal sector, it is for Ofcom to monitor Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation and decide how to respond should Royal Mail fail to meet its obligations.
Ofcom fined the business £5.6m for failing to meet its service delivery targets in 2022-23 and is meeting Royal Mail regularly to ensure service issues are addressed as a matter of urgency.