§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the(a) financial costs and (b) benefits to his Department of the Parental Leave Directive. [42480]
§ Mr. LeslieThe cost of the Department of the Parental Leave Directive is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The Cabinet Office currently has a number of policies and practices, including statutory entitlement to Parental Leave, that are designed to help staff strike a balance between their working and home responsibilities.
We believe that by offering such opportunities we are helping to aid recruitment and retention, improving morale and motivation, and decreasing staff absenteeism.