§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, when implementing the Parental Leave Directive, they intend to make provision for paid parental leave.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Simon of Highbury)The Government have no plans to introduce a statutory right to paid 111WA parental leave. We believe that the right to limited unpaid parental leave, as provided by the Parental Leave Directive, is a fair minimum standard which will help parents to reconcile their working and family lives without placing excessive burdens on employers.
§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will extend to men protection against dismissal for taking time off work to care for a sick child.
§ Lord Simon of HighburyThe EU Parental Leave Directive, which the Government is pledged to implement, states that workers shall be entitled to "time off from work …… for urgent family reasons in cases of sickness".