§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many employees in his Department, in each year since 1979, have been allowed paternity leave under the rules set out in paragraphs 685–688 of the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code; and what was the average number of days allowed.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe code does not provide specifically for paternity leave. In certain circumstances, special leave for domestic distress may be granted to male staff under code paragraph 686(a) or (c) when serious complications have occurred in connection with a wife's confinement. Details of any such cases could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.