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PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Maternity Leave and Maternity Pay (12 April 2021)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent progress his Department has made on increasing neonatal (a) pay and (b) leave.

Asked by:
Sir Alan Campbell (Labour)

Answer

In 2019, we consulted on proposals to introduce a new entitlement to paid leave for employed parents of babies who require neonatal care. In March last year, we published the Government response to the consultation and committed to introducing Neonatal Leave and Pay.

The entitlement will apply to parents of babies who are admitted into hospital up to the age of 28 days, and who have a continuous stay in hospital of 7 days or more. The period of leave and pay available to parents will be capped at 12 weeks. Neonatal Leave will be a ‘day 1’ right, available to an employee from the first day of employment in their job.

We will bring forward legislation to introduce Neonatal Leave and Pay as part of the Employment Bill when Parliamentary time allows.


Answered by:
Paul Scully (Conservative)
21 April 2021

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