- 04/04/2025
- Posted by: Amanda Hack MP
- Category: News
- Amanda Hack MP met with Dads from across North West Leicestershire, joining a string of similar events around the country.
- They discussed the challenges facing dads today, including limited paternity leave.
- Today is the 22nd anniversary of Labour’s introduction of Statutory Paternity Leave, which new research shows has benefitted 4 million babies across the UK
- The new Government has committed to paternity leave as a day one right of employment, meaning you are entitled even if you just started your job.
The morning was held in partnership with The Dad Shift campaign group to celebrate the introduction of Statutory Paternity Leave by the last Labour government 22 years ago. Research from The Dad Shift shows that over 4 million babies have since benefitted from having their father at home in the first two weeks.
Amanda Hack MP met with Dads during a drop-in session at Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club. They discussed the pressures on new Dads bringing up children locally and what the Government can do to support them.
Amanda Hack said:
“Meeting with Dads here at Ashby Ivanhoe has been really insightful. Across our area, families have struggled in recent years, and I know that Dads, in particular, struggle to get enough time with their children in those first months. Many told me how they would have loved to spend more time at home during those first few months, being around for more of those early milestones. I want Dads to know that what they do is appreciated and celebrate their role in the family.”
George Gabriel, Founder of The Dad Shift said
“We know that Dads want to spend more time with their young children, and we know that across the country, most people agree that would be a good thing. It is great to see people across the country coming together to talk about the importance of Dads being there in those early days, and discussing how we can change the system to make it better. 2 weeks simply isn’t enough.”
Ten years ago the coalition introduced Shared Parental Leave – by which mothers can share some of their leave allowance with their partners, however with uptake of SPL at less than 2% nationally momentum is building for further reform. Labour’s Employment Rights Bill will make statutory paternity leave a day 1 right, meaning you are entitled to it from the day you start your job, and campaigners hope an upcoming review of parental leave will see the UK’s dads given more time off with their new babies.
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Many people often wonder how MPs can help. There are so many different ways, and today I want to highlight one issue that comes up… driving licence delays.
I’ve been contacted by a number of constituents who have experienced difficulties renewing their licences in a timely manner, especially where medical assessments are involved. As your MP, part of my role is to work with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to chase outstanding applications, while also raising ongoing concerns with colleagues in Government so wider improvements can be made.
Just this week, a debate in the House acknowledged that service levels in Drivers Medical Services have fallen well below expectations in recent years. (Unfortunately, due to diary clashes, I couldn't speak in the debate)
The Department has now moved to a more modern system for managing applications, and the DVLA has recruited additional staff to help reduce the backlog. As a result, so far in April, the average time to make a licensing decision in medical cases is 56.6 working days, which is a significant reduction from 71.4 days in February.
Licences will be prioritised where necessary, and in many cases, drivers may be able to continue driving under Section 88. However, delays are still unacceptable, which is why the DVLA is also working with the Department for Transport to explore further improvements.
In our office, we’ve had some very positive cases where we’ve been able to expedite long-running applications. If you’re impacted by delays, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and I’ll always do my best to help.
This is just one example of the hundreds of pieces of casework I deal with each week.
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It was great to bring people together again on Saturday to talk about the SEND system and the current government consultation. A special thanks to Robert Martin, CEO of Menphys, for joining the discussion.
Hearing directly from parents, teachers, and experts in the same room to share perspectives and experiences will help shape my response to the consultation. The conversations were honest, especially around the long waits families face for EHCPs and the impact that has on children.
What stayed with me most was the shared determination to improve things. Every child deserves the right support and the best possible start in life, and it’s clear there’s a real appetite to keep pushing for change.
Thank you to everyone who came along and spoke so openly, not just on Saturday but also at my previous event in Coalville a couple of weeks ago.
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