§ Baroness Galeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What the terms of reference are for the review of maternity pay and parental leave. [HL3000]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe review will consider the steps needed to make sure that parents have choices to help them balance the needs of their work and their children so that they may contribute fully to the competitiveness and productivity of the modern economy.
2. The review will seek:
To examine how the economy is changing, particularly in relation to working patterns, and what the needs of the modern economy will be;
To identify how competitiveness and productivity in this context can be enhanced through giving families reasonable choices to help them to balance the needs of their children and work.
3. In doing so, it will take into account:
The impact of maternity pay and parental leave on business, particularly SMEs, and families, including whether it is possible to simplify the implementation of existing legislation;
Best practice in business and its impact, including the extent to which employers currently offer additional entitlements or flexible arrangements;
Factors affecting women's decisions to return to work after childbirth;
Factors affecting the take up of parental and paternity leave;
40WAImpact of returning to work part-time, from home or on flexible hours;
Reducing child poverty, including the particular probelms faced by the workless and by parents receiving the Working Families Tax Credit.
4. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will chair a ministerial group to help co-ordinate the work of the review. Other members of the group are:
Baroness Jay Leader of the House of Lords, Lord Privy Seal and Minister for Women Andrew Smith Chief Secretary to the Treasury Lord Falconer Minister of State, Cabinet Office Tessa Jowell Minister of State DfEE Margaret Hodge Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DfEE Baroness Hollis Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DSS Alan Johnson Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DTI David Irwin Chief Executive, Small Business Service 5. There will be extensive consultation and detailed research to back up the review.