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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what comparative assessment he has made of the uptake of shared parental leave and maternity leave in each constituent region of the UK in the last 12 months.

The Government does not routinely collect information on the take-up of Shared Parental Leave and Maternity Leave, including by constituent regions.

Maternity Leave is a ‘day 1 right’ and, subject to giving the correct notice, all employed mothers are able to take up to 52 weeks of Maternity Leave and must take at least two weeks of leave immediately following the birth of their child, four weeks if they work in a factory or workshop.