Source · Select Committees · Petitions Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Rejected
Paragraph: 40
The Government’s decision to reject the request to extend maternity leave has been hugely disappointing...
Recommendation
The Government’s decision to reject the request to extend maternity leave has been hugely disappointing to the hundreds of thousands of people who have signed this petition. In these extraordinary circumstances, where the Government has taken exceptional action to support different groups of people, we believe that extending maternity leave would be a proportionate action to take, in line with the support provided through the CJRS and SEISS. We support the call of more than 226,000 petitions and urge the Government to reconsider its decision not to extend parental leave and pay for families during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the recommendation to extend parental leave and pay, citing the significant cost to the Exchequer and the additional burden on businesses at a challenging time.
Paragraph Reference:
40
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
It is important that parents feel supported by all those around them who help care for them and their baby. Community health services have continued to provide support during the pandemic with greater use of digital and remote technologies giving support to higher needs families. 12 The impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave: Government Response Health visitors have also prioritised families not already in contact with services and families where there this is a risk. Guidance published on 3 June sets out the approach to restoration of community health services for children and young people: https://www. england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/C0552-Restoration-of- Community-Health-Services-Guidance-CYP-version-3-June-2020–1.pdf. The allocation of health-visitor resources is a matter for local authorities as the commissioner best placed to understand the needs of their local population and make decisions on funding priorities. Public Health England is also working with partners and professional bodies to support local implementation. The Government recognises the importance of securing support for the most vulnerable in communities during the current national emergency. This is why we have provided £3.7 billion of additional funding to support local authorities to address any pressures they are facing in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including public health services. The Government has also pledged £750 million to ensure charities can continue their vital work supporting the country during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is in addition to, for example, the £3.2 billion provided to local authorities through the public health grant. The Prime Minister has also asked Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP to carry out a review into how to improve health outcomes for babies and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The review will focus on the first 1,001 days of a baby’s life—from birth to age 2 and a half.