Statutory Maternity and Paternity Pay Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Work and Pensions
Simon Opher
Main Page: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)Department Debates - View all Simon Opher's debates with the Department for Work and Pensions
(1 day, 12 hours ago)
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Dr Simon Opher (Stroud) (Lab)
My son Jake and his partner Amber are about to have a child, and I am very proud, but he is taking out a loan so that he can have six weeks off work, because he believes it is important. In Spain, people get 17 weeks of fully paid leave, and in Denmark they get 24 weeks. What are we doing in this country?
As a practising GP, I have seen the cost of our policy. There are higher rates of post-natal depression in women, and, as my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Alex McIntyre) said, men have sleepless nights and higher rates of mental health issues. Much more importantly, the children suffer.
Parental leave is a form of preventive healthcare. We need to build a parental leave system that recognises that caring is an investment in healthier families, happier children and a fairer society. Every parent, whatever their income, should have the chance to bond with their child without fear of financial hardship.