Neonatal leave and pay

Adjournment debate

9 February 2022

On Wednesday 9 February, Luke Hall MP led an adjournment debate on neonatal leave and pay.

Introducing the topic, he gave the following statement:

"Every year in the UK tens of thousands of babies receive neonatal care*, and for the families of these children the experience is life changing.

"Currently, parents of babies in neonatal care rely on their existing statutory leave entitlements* to enable them to be off work while the baby is in hospital.

"Parents can spend a significant proportion of their Maternity Leave or Paternity Leave in hospital, relying on annual or unpaid leave in order to be with the mother and baby after this.

"It is important to work with the Government to deliver neonatal leave and pay for the parents of babies receiving neonatal care."
Luke Hall MP

* Source: Neonatal leave and pay (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, 2020)

Watch the debate:

Read the transcript on Hansard:

How it works

What is an adjournment debate?

Adjournment debates take place at the end of each sitting day in the House of Commons Chamber and usually last for 30 minutes.

They are held on the motion ‘that the House do now adjourn’. In other words, once the adjournment debate has finished, the House will close for the day.

Any backbench MP can apply to hold an adjournment debate on any subject which the Government are responsible for, providing it does not call for legislation.

Ordinarily, the MP holding the adjournment debate will make a speech of approximately 15 minutes. Following on from this the responding minister can speak for the remaining amount of time. Other MPs may intervene during the speeches, however they must have been granted permission to do so by either the MP or minister.

How Parliament works: Adjournment debates.