Oral Answers to Questions

Luke Charters Excerpts

Wednesday 29th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I extend my sympathy for what the hon. Member experienced—it must have had a profound impact on him and his family. I, too, have seen the power of restorative justice, which enables victims to receive answers and perpetrators to face the human costs of their crimes. Under the victims’ code, all adult victims must be told about restorative justice and how to access it. We can always do more and I will ensure that he gets the meeting that he wants with the relevant Minister.

[Mr Luke Charters (York Outer) (Lab)]

Q7.  I am pleased to announce that this summer I will be going on paternity leave again for baby No. 2. May I congratulate the Secretary of State for Scotland on his new arrival? The Chancellor spoke brilliantly this morning about growth, and I am pleased to reveal that new research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows that by increasing paternity leave, we could increase economic growth by £2.6 billion a year. Will the Prime Minister review statutory paternity leave? From one father to another, will he meet me and The Dad Shift to discuss how we can support new parents?

[The Prime Minister]

I wish my hon. Friend and his wife well with their new arrival. We are conducting a review into parental leave, because we cannot grow the economy if parents have to choose between work and their children. Thanks to the Employment Rights Bill, which the Conservatives oppose, 30,000 more fathers will get paternity leave. That is the difference: the Leader of the Opposition wants to roll back parental rights; we are extending them.