Oral Question·Department for Business and Trade
“What assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of take up of parental leave.”
Tabled: 5 December 2024Answered: 12 December 2024
Asked by
Christine Jardine
Liberal Democrat — Edinburgh West
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Answer from Hansard
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Justin Madders)
The parental rights survey 2019 found that 89% of employee mothers took maternity leave and 70% of employee fathers took paternity leave, but take-up of shared parental leave is much lower. In fact, it is disappointingly low, which is why we are committed to a review of the parental leave system. Work is under way to deliver on that, and I will provide an update in due course.