Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, whether her Department offers paternity leave to its staff from their first working day.

The Attorney General’s Office receives shared HR services from the Government Legal Department (GLD) and the criteria for applying for paternity leave is that the individual must have worked for GLD for at least 26 continuous weeks or immediately prior to the 15th week before the baby’s due date (where there is a pregnancy) and for adoption, either by the end of the week they are matched with the child (UK adoptions) or the date the child enters the UK or when they want their pay to start (overseas adoptions).

Some staff could qualify for statutory paternity leave on their first day of service with their department because they already have qualifying service with another Civil Service organisation.

Under the Employment Rights Bill currently before Parliament, subject to Parliamentary approval paternity leave will become a day one right across the Civil Service.

As with any changes to employment legislation, internal policies and processes will be updated as appropriate in preparation for when the Employment Rights Bill 2024 comes into effect.