§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what maternity and paternity entitlements are available to employees within his Department. [27280]
§ Mr. HagueSubject to the conditions set out in the civil service management code, permanent staff and staff on fixed-term appointments of two years or more are entitled to three calendar months and one week paid maternity leave if monthly paid, or 14 weeks if weekly paid. This will include entitlement to statutory maternity pay.
Paid maternity leave may be followed by an optional period of unpaid leave which, together with the paid leave, cannot exceed 52 weeks in total.
Casual staff and staff on fixed term appointments of less than two years are entitled to 14 weeks' unpaid maternity leave plus an optional period of four weeks unpaid special leave.
Where an officer is not entitled to paid maternity leave she may nevertheless qualify for statutory maternity pay.
All staff are allowed paid time off for ante-natal care.
Fathers are allowed two days' paid paternity leave at the time of the birth or at a later date if this is more helpful. This can be increased to a maximum of 10 days when there are medical complications or acute domestic difficulties in caring for other children in the household.