To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the recommendations in the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Working Better report on the take-up of maternity and paternity leave by lone parents and parents on low incomes; and if he will make a statement.

The Government welcome the EHRC's contribution to the debate in this important area, and recognise the importance of ensuring mothers and fathers are both able to spend the time they need with their families, while also being able to balance work and family life. That is why we have progressively introduced a substantial package of measures to help working parents while recognising the needs of employers.

From April 2007 all employed mothers have been eligible to take up to 52 weeks' maternity leave, of which 39 weeks are paid. We have also more than doubled the standard rate payable to those mothers from £55.70 in 1997 to £123.06 now. Longer and better paid maternity leave gives all mothers more choice about how much time to take off and 88 per cent. of mothers now take their full entitlement to paid leave⁽¹⁾.

We have also introduced statutory paternity pay at the same standard rate as SMP. More than nine-tenths of fathers take time off around the time of their child's birth⁽²⁾ of which seven tenths take two weeks or more.

Government financial support including statutory maternity pay and statutory paternity pay is now worth at least £9,000 for many families during a child's first year, up from only £2,600 in 1997.

^{(1 )}Maternity rights and mothers employment decisions, 2008.

^{(2 )}Maternity rights and mothers employment decisions, 2008.