Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has plans to increase the amount of statutory paid leave to parents who lose a child under the age of 18 are entitled to.

The Government recognises that the death of a child is a tragic event. In April 2020, we introduced a new statutory entitlement to up to two weeks’ Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay for parents who lose a child under the age of 18.

The Government has no plans to increase this amount of statutory paid leave, but we strongly encourage employers to act with compassion and go beyond the statutory minimum when they are able to.