Parental Leave: Children with Severe Illnesses

22. What plans his Department has to extend the amount of parental leave for people whose children have severe illnesses.

The Government are committed to supporting working families. We are conducting a short and focused review of the provisions for parents of premature, sick and multiple babies, focusing primarily on barriers to the labour market. I have met colleagues, Bliss and The Smallest Things.

In response to the Minister’s reply, may I ask when that review will commence and when we can expect its conclusions?

I thank the hon. Lady for allowing me to talk about this issue. A short internal review has been carried out by my officials and I expect to receive information on that shortly. I have already committed to keeping cross-party colleagues updated and I happily extend that commitment to her.