Boost to parental leave proposed

16 May 2011 Last updated at 13:39 GMT The proposals aim to make it easier for parents to share childcare Business Secretary Vince Cable has launched a consultation on plans to increase the amount of leave for new parents in England, Scotland and Wales.

The proposals would extend parental leave by four weeks and enable the mother and father to split it between them in a number of blocks.

Currently mothers can take 52 weeks, some of which can be shared by fathers, who can also take two weeks themselves.

Business leaders have expressed concerns about the potential costs.

Six of the 52 weeks currently offered are paid at 90% of the parent's salary. Another 33 are paid at a standard rate of ?128.73, which also applies to the additional two weeks offered to fathers.

Since April 2011, fathers and mothers have been able to share some of the 52 weeks' leave, with the father able to take up to six months beginning after the baby is 20 weeks old.

However, this can only be taken as a single block - as can the leave the mother takes.

'Fairer for fathers'

Under the the proposed scheme, which the government says would begin in 2015 at the earliest, the mother would be allowed to take up to 18 weeks straight after the birth, but a following 30 weeks could be split between the parents, and, at their request, broken down into smaller blocks of a few weeks or months.

Of these 30 weeks, 17 would be paid at the standard rate.

However, employers would retain the right to demand the leave was taken in a continuous block, "depending on business needs", the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said.

In addition, both parents would be entitled to an additional four weeks' leave each, and the father would still be offered two weeks' paternity leave straight after the birth, as now.

"These measures are fairer for fathers and maintain the existing entitlements for mothers - but crucially give parents much greater choice over how to balance their work and family commitments," said Mr Cable.

He said the need to minimise costs and bureaucracy had been "at the forefront" of his mind when developing the plans.

"But I'm also confident that we have a good case to make on the wider benefits to business - not least from a motivated and flexible workforce," he said.

Cost fears

Katja Hall, policy director of the Confederation of British Industry, said the organisation was "concerned" about the total increase in parental leave, "given the UK already offers some of the most generous provisions in the world".

The Federation of Small Businesses said the changes would hit small companies "hard" and make administration of parental leave more complicated.

However, Trades Union Congress general secretary Brendan Barber welcomed the reforms.

"The extra month of parental leave for dads only builds on reforms brought in by the last government and will encourage more fathers to take time off," he said.

The shadow business secretary, John Denham, said the announcement built on "great strides" that had been made under Labour.

But the government had also "delayed the extension of flexible working to parents with children under 17, removed new employment rights to workers in micro-businesses and are making cuts to vital services such as Sure Start", he said.

Parental leave is a devolved issue Northern Ireland, but current entitlements are similar to those in the rest of the UK. The Northern Ireland Assembly said it was "looking closely" at the new proposals.

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Social care law revamp proposed

11 May 2011 Last updated at 08:12 GMT By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News Ministers are looking to revamp the social care system in England A major revamp of adult social care law in England and Wales is needed to ensure fairer access to services, the Law Commission says.

The government advisory body said the current framework, covered by more than 40 laws, was "outdated and flawed".

Instead, it said there should be a single piece of legislation so people were clear about their rights.

The report is the first of two reviews ministers will use to reform social care in England in the coming years.

An independent commission has also been set up to look at how social care - which is currently means tested - should be funded.

It is due to report in July and will be followed by a white paper at the end of this year and legislation in 2012.

Wales is looking at its social care provision separately.

There is almost universal agreement that social care needs reforming, as councils struggle to meet rising demand because of the ageing population amid cuts in funding.

'Dog's breakfast'

Frances Patterson QC, the law commissioner leading the review, said she wanted existing laws and regulations "swept away" and replaced by a single adult social care statute.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Our role is to produce a clear, consistent and comprehensive legal framework to reform the way adult social care is delivered across the country."

Continue reading the main story

This report provides foundation for the most significant single reform of social care law in 60 years”

End Quote Paul Burstow Care services minister She said the Law Commission also wanted to introduce a code of practice which local authorities would be required to follow "unless there was good reason not to".

It would be down to individuals to enforce their rights through the courts if they felt their care was insufficient, she added.

The Law Commission report has been widely welcomed by charities, who say it provides a good blueprint for reform of the system.

Michelle Mitchell, of the charity Age UK, described the recommendations as a "one-off opportunity to replace this dog's breakfast with a clear, logical and consistent framework".

Social care law has developed "piecemeal" since the National Assistance Act in 1948, the Law Commission said. There are now over 40 separate laws and thousands of pages of guidance.

This has resulted in a system that is confusing for users, and at times contradictory, the report said.

For example, people with conditions that vary over time such as bi-polar disorder or dementia can, in theory, be excluded from care.

And while there is no law placing a duty on councils to support elderly people, they do have legal obligations to look after those with disabilities and mental health problems.

The recommendations call for a duty for councils to assess the needs of carers, and say the NHS and local government should work together more closely.

Care services minister Paul Burstow said the recommendations would be carefully looked at.

He added: "This report provides foundation for the most significant single reform of social care law in 60 years."

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