Clause 4 - Statutory adoption pay
Employment Bill
5:00 pm
Mr Alan Johnson (Minister of State (Employment and the Regions), Department of Trade and Industry; Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, Labour)
If we have considered that, we have discounted it. We are discussing not paternity leave but 26 weeks' paid adoption leave for adopters. The drafting may be tortuous, and the hon. Gentleman is right to query it. Couples in a long-term relationship but who are not married cannot adopt at the moment. Only married couples or one person in an unmarried relationship can adopt. A married couple who adopt can choose which of them takes adoption leave and which takes paternity leave. The partner of a single person who adopts can take only paternity leave--there is no choice. The person with the matching certificate takes the adoption leave. Those are the present circumstances. Any couple can enjoy leave. Married couples can decide which of them should take which leave; with an unmarried couple the partner with the matching certificate will take the adoption leave and the partner will have take paternity leave.