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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals on neonatal leave and pay entitlement as announced in the March 2020 Budget.

The Government is committed to providing parents with an entitlement to take extended leave for neonatal care, to support those new mothers and fathers who need it during the most stressful days of their lives.

This is why we committed at Budget to create an entitlement to Neonatal Leave and Pay for employees whose babies spend an extended period of time in neonatal care, providing up to 12 weeks paid leave so that parents do not have to choose between returning to work and taking care of their vulnerable newborn.

The new entitlement will be brought forward in due course through the necessary legislation as part of the Employment Bill.