Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government is taking steps to give fathers (a) longer and (b) better-paid paternity leave.

We know that helping parents to share care is good for parents and children, particularly in the crucial early months of their child’s life.

The Shared Parental Leave and Pay schemes enable fathers and partners to be their child’s main carer if this is best for the family. Qualifying working couples can share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay. From February to April 2018, the Government ran a joint £1.5m campaign to promote Shared Parental Leave.

As part of the evaluation of Shared Parental Leave and Pay we are collecting information on the take up of paternity benefits, including survey data on the take up of paternity leave and pay, which will inform the development of policy in this area.