PATERNITY LEAVE

That this House notes that fathers, partners of adopters and intended parents having children through surrogacy are entitled to one or two weeks' statutory paternity leave; believes that this disadvantages fathers and entrenches the presumption that women are primarily responsible for raising children; further notes that better paternity leave and pay has the potential to meet the Government's objective of supporting fathers to be at home around the time of their child's birth; further believes that the regulations require updating to meet the needs of the modern family in a changing workforce; understands that the objective of supporting fathers to share care cannot be met if paternity pay is set at a rate that only better-off fathers are able to take time off at the start of their child's life; acknowledges that some employers offer enhanced leave or pay, including the Scottish Government, which offers staff four weeks' paternity leave on full pay; and notes the view that families across the UK would benefit from such practices being adopted by other employers.