Jo Swinson MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

1 Victoria Street
London  SW1H 0ET

Ref: ML.C0057.CM.24.05.13

Date: 24^th May 2013

Dear Jo,

I am writing to you about the Children and Families Bill, as my constituents are concerned that it does not address the issue of maternity and paternity leave for parents expecting twins or triplets.

The latest report by the Twins and Multiple Births Association found that the current system of parental leave disadvantages parents who are having multiple births, because their entitlement to leave is the same as parents having only one baby. The system does not recognise the additional time and resources required to care for more than one baby at a time. It also fails to take into account the greater likelihood of medical complications occurring with multiple births, where babies are more likely to be born prematurely and to need care in a neonatal unit. This forces parents to use up a large amount of their leave before they are able to take their babies home.

These issues could be addressed by introducing amendments to the Children and Families Bill to take into account the greater pressures faced by parents of multiple births. Suggestions for amendments include doubling, or at least increasing, the duration of paid paternity and maternity leave for families expecting multiple births. Maternity and paternity leave for multiples could also take prematurity into account, by using babies’ expected, rather than actual, due date when calculating leave entitlements.

It would also be helpful if the partners of women expecting multiple birth could take six days of unpaid leave in order to accompany their partners to scans (according to NICE guidelines, this is the minimum number of scans they will receive).

I would be grateful if you could tell me if the Government is planning action to address this issue. Does the Government plan to bring in amendments to the Children and Families Bill to ensure that the greater pressures faced by parents of multiple births are taken into account when calculating leave entitlements? If not, I would appreciate it if you could tell me the reasoning behind the decision not to change the current system and whether there are other ways it will be offering the additional support needed by parents that have twins or multiple births.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas, MP, Brighton Pavilion