HC Deb 13 February 2001 vol 363 c78W
Ms Julie Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of mothers from low-income households work for employers with a policy of allowing employees to reduce their hours on return from maternity leave. [150108]

Mr. Alan Johnson

A survey of working parents recently conducted by my Department asked mothers whether a number of support provisions were made available to them by their employer on return from maternity leave, including returning to the same job on a reduced hours or part-time basis.

83 per cent. of mothers in households with gross income of less than £20,800 said that their employer allowed them to return to the same job on a reduced hours or part-time basis, compared with 60 per cent. of those in households with gross income of £20,800 plus.

Ms Julie Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of fathers work for employers who allow them to reduce their hours in(a) the aftermath of the birth of a child and (b) for general childcare reasons. [150110]

Mr. Alan Johnson

A survey commissioned by the Department for Education and Employment in 2000 reports that 34 per cent. of fathers in workplaces employing five or more staff said that their employer would allow them to reduce their hours for an agreed period of time at reduced salary.