Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of support available to parents who have to return to work while their premature and sick babies remain in neonatal or intensive care.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recently conducted a short, focussed internal review of the provisions for parents of premature, sick and multiple babies for the purpose of providing advice to Minsters.

We are currently exploring a range of policy options for providing further support to parents in this position, recognising that the UK entitlement to 52 weeks of Maternity Leave among the most generous maternity rights in the world.