Women and Equalities Committee to hear evidence on paternity and shared parental leave reforms
21 March 2025
The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) will hear from HR professionals, a best practice employer, and trade unions on the priorities for reform of paternity and shared parental leave during the second evidence session of its inquiry, in Parliament on Tuesday, 25 March.
- Tuesday, 25 March 2.20pm
- Inquiry: Equality at work: Paternity and shared parental leave
- Women and Equalities Committee
- Venue: The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
- Watch live: Visit parliamentlive.tv
MPs on the cross-party committee chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen will discuss a range of issues relating to reform,including statutory and employer-enhanced pay; leave available to fathers and other non-birthing parents; potential improvements to the SPL scheme to drive take up; and extending access to paid parental leave to excluded groups. Aviva will provide insights into the costs and benefits of its long-established gender equal parental leave and pay scheme.
WEC is undertaking an inquiry into paternity and shared parental leave as part of its wider work on Equality at work. During its first evidence session in February the committee heard from campaigners, parents and academics ahead of theGovernment's planned "full review" of the parental leave system. Unequal division of childcaring responsibilities is a key driver of wider gender inequality and the gender pay gap.
Witnesses
At 2.20pm
- Jonny Briggs, Inclusion and Resourcing Director, Aviva
- Nikki Pound, Policy Officer (Women's Equality), Trade Union Congress (TUC)
- Claire McCartney, Policy and Practice Manager (Resourcing and Inclusion), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)