I understand the strength of feeling on this issue. I also want parents to feel properly supported by their employer when they go through the deeply distressing ordeal of losing a child. While I expect employers to be compassionate and flexible at such a difficult time, I do welcome that the Government is backing the Parental Bereavement (leave and pay) Bill which goes significantly further than most other countries in providing this kind of workplace right for employees.

As you may be aware, the Bill, introduced by Kevin Hollinrake MP, will give a right from 'day one' to parental bereavement leave and employees with a minimum of 26 weeks' continuous service will be eligible for statutory parental bereavement pay. Under the proposed measures, for the first time employed parents who lose a child under the age of 18 will have the right to two weeks' paid leave to allow them time to grieve. This will honour the Government's manifesto commitment to introduce a new entitlement for parental bereavement leave.

I was unable to attend the debate on Friday 20th October due to constituency-based diary commitments, but rest assured I will offer my support for the Bill as it makes its way through Parliament.