The government is committed to improving the quality of neonatal care and has a national ambition to halve the number of neonatal deaths by 2030.
The government will also ensure that employers abide by the law through new measures in the Good Work Plan, which extends the right to a written statement to all workers from day one, so that they are clear about their entitlements, including to maternity and paternity leave.
I have the deepest of sympathy for parents who face having to return to work whilst their child remains in neonatal care.
The UK already has one of the longest paid maternity leave policies in the world. Parents also have the option of taking shared parental leave, so that parents have the option to share the burden of work and allow fathers to spend more time with their children while their child recovers.
I am pleased to see that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is examining this issue and they will respond in due course.
