Shaun Davies, Member of Parliament for Telford, has welcomed in Parliament the Government’s full review of the UK’s parental leave system.
Shaun was speaking in a debate on the launch of the review, which is intended to simplify and improve Britain’s maternity, paternity and parental leave systems. The Government will consult with parents, employers and experts, and produce a roadmap for policy changes to make the system fairer for families and employers.
In his question, Shaun asked what support the Government would give to small and medium enterprises to help them improve their parental leave offerings, as well as calling for better parental rights in the public sector.
Joel Priddey from Telford said: “I’m extremely pleased that the government has taken the next step to help support families during such an important time. It’s too late for me, but I hope that the benefits help new families. Providing additional support to employers is also really important to allow them to ensure both mums and dads get the best possible deal when it comes to parental leave.”
On the announcement, Shaun Davies commented: “This review is much-needed and long overdue. The UK has the worst paternity rights in Europe, and that’s not fair on dads, mums or children. Finally we have a Government that recognises the need to change, and I’ll be doing everything I can to support this review.”
Responding to Shaun, the Minister agreed that the Government should lead the way as an employer, and gave his commitment to making the process easier for SMEs.
This review forms a part of the Government’s plan to Make Work Pay, and was a key promise in Labour’s manifesto. It has already introduced the Employment Rights Bill to Parliament, which establishes parental leave a day-one right for employees of any gender.
Since being elected as Telford’s MP in July 2024, Shaun has campaigned regularly on stronger paternity and parental rights. Last October, he led a debate in Parliament on paternity leave and pay; he has hosted an event in Telford for fathers to share their stories and challenges; and he recently spoke to BBC West Midlands about the need for reform of UK paternity leave law.
