VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Paternity Leave

Asked by Sarah RussellLabourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 12 March 2026UIN 118427

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of increasing the statutory entitlement to paternity leave.

Answered by Kate Dearden

Through the Employment Rights Act, we are making Paternity Leave a ‘day one’ right from 6 April this year. This will bring an extra 32,000 fathers and partners into scope of the entitlement.

The Government also launched the Parental Leave and Pay Review on 1 July 2025, which will consider all existing and upcoming parental leave entitlements, including Paternity Leave and Pay. The Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings in which the Government will outline next steps for taking any reforms forward to implementation.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim