Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on (a) which NHS trusts provide staff with statutory paternity leave and pay, (b) which NHS trusts provide staff with enhanced paternity leave and pay and (c) levels of take up of those across trusts.

The Department does not hold data on the uptake of these arrangements by National Health Service trusts in England.

Employing organisations are legally bound to provide two weeks of statutory paternity leave and pay where individuals meet the required eligibility criteria.

The national terms and conditions for staff on Agenda for Change, resident doctor, specialty and specialist doctor, and consultant contracts provide an enhanced paternity pay offer which uprates statutory pay to full pay where the additional eligibility criteria, as set out in the respective national contracts, is met.