THE UK Government has been urged to give dads a “great gift this Father’s Day” by extending paternity leave.
The Scottish Greens said that the UK trails behind other European countries in terms of maternity, paternity and parental pay and leave.
Currently eligible fathers are entitled to two weeks of paternity leave on statutory paternity pay.
The Scottish Greens are calling for paternity leave to be extended and said it is “crucial” to support new parents and babies at a time when household bills are rising.
The party’s co-leader Gillian Mackay said: “The first few weeks with a new-born should be a time for parents to soak up every moment, not worry about how bills will be paid if dad takes the time he’s entitled to off work.
“In some cases where hospital stays take longer than usual, some new dads are hardly getting any time to spend supporting their partner and new baby.
“For those who do manage to get home quickly, two weeks just isn’t enough time to transition into a new routine with a growing family, or enough on-hand support for mums who are recovering from childbirth.
“Not everybody wants to have children, but for those who do, they do so because they want to spend time with them and be present from day one.”
She added: “When household bills are rising, it’s crucial that we support new parents and babies, rather than penalising them with low pay and extremely limited time off.
“The UK Government should give dads across our country a great gift this Father’s Day.
“By expanding parental leave and increasing support for parents, they can set families up for success and give the future generation the best start in life.”
The UK Government's employment rights minister, Kate Dearden, said: "One of the best changes I've seen in my lifetime is men wanting to be more involved in their children's lives.
"That is a huge societal change and it's one that's having a positive impact on children's lives – especially in those crucial first few weeks and months when mothers are often recovering from childbirth."
She added: “We are determined to make sure dads and partners can be there for as much of it as possible which is why we’ve already changed the law to give 32,000 more partners access to paternity leave, and are carrying out a full review of parental pay and leave so that the law can reflect these hugely positive changes and so that parents can spend as much time doing what matters most – caring for their baby.”
