More paternity leave considered

New fathers are already entitled to two weeks off work

New fathers could get six months off work unpaid to care for their babies, a government minister has suggested.

Currently mothers can take six months paid maternity leave, followed by six months unpaid leave if they choose.

But ministers are considering whether to also allow fathers to take the second six months of unpaid leave.

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt told the Times it was one way fathers could take a "very active role" in children's lives.

Business is punch-drunk with regulation - any extension would be distinctly premature John Cridland CBI

"At the time we looked at extending maternity leave there were many people arguing that the extra six months we have now added on to maternity leave should be made available to the father," she told the newspaper.

"We decided at that time not to offer it to fathers. But I am in favour of fathers being able to play a very active role in the children's lives and having leave specific to fathers can definitely help.

"I want to look at how to take this whole package forward and six months off for fathers is one way of doing it, although there may be other ways."

HAVE YOUR SAY As much as I'd love to, financially speaking, it would be suicide for my family. Mitch, Darwen, Lancs Send us your comments

Plan 'premature'

Since April new fathers have been entitled to two weeks' paid paternity leave.

They are entitiled to a minimum of £100 a week, or 90% of their average weekly earnings if this is less, for two weeks, known as Statutory Paternity Pay (PP).

And both parents can now ask for flexible working arrangements if their children are under six years of age.

The suggestion that fathers too could be entitled to take six months off was criticised by business leaders.

This change would be a brilliant step forward, and send a clear message that childcare is a shared activity between men and women and not simply women's work. Jack O'Sullivan Fathers Direct

"Major new parental leave arrangements came into force in April this year," John Cridland, the deputy director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, told the Times.

"Business is punch-drunk with regulation. Any extension would be distinctly premature."

A Department of Trade and Industry spokesman said there would be no changes to the parental leave laws before April 2006 at the earliest.

He said that the government had promised to allow three years for this year's new parental leave laws to bed-in.

"After that we will look at other options depending on the feedback," he said, adding that Ms Hewitt was merely highlighting one of the options that might then be considered.

Jack O'Sullivan, co-founder of pressure group Fathers Direct, urged ministers to make the new proposal law.

"It would be a huge relief for a lot of women who want to go back to work but don't want to hand a six-month-old baby over to a stranger.

"This change would be a brilliant step forward, and send a clear message that childcare is a shared activity between men and women and not simply women's work."