Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Armed Forces: Paternity Leave

Monday 1 June 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The armed forces occupational paternity leave scheme provides full pay equivalent to statutory provision.
  • In 2025, 1,684 service personnel took paternity leave.
  • The Minister will highlight the benefits package during recruitment efforts.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Owen Lab Luton North
Defence
Context

The question follows recent discussions on bereavement leave for new parents in the armed forces.

Question

What recent estimate has been made of the number of men in the armed forces taking paternity leave in the latest period for which data is available?

Answer from Louise Jones

The armed forces occupational paternity leave scheme provides equivalent arrangements to statutory provision, including full pay. In 2025, 1,684 service personnel took paternity leave.

Answered
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Q2 Sarah Owen Lab Luton North
Defence Women & Equalities
Context

The question arises from a recommendation by the Women and Equalities Committee for increasing parental leave to at least six weeks.

Question

Does the Minister agree that all dads need quality time to support the other parent and bond with newborns, and that armed forces families are owed that vital time together?

Answer from Louise Jones

I would welcome a meeting with her to discuss the issue further, but I did not explicitly agree or disagree with the recommendation for six weeks of parental leave.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific agreement or disagreement on six-week parental leave was avoided

How: Welcoming A Meeting

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Q3 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Policing & Resources Defence
Context

The question addresses the promotion of life in the Army as normal and equal to civilian life, including benefits.

Question

What will the Minister do to ensure that everyone knows about the opportunities and benefits of joining the forces during recruitment?

Answer from Louise Jones

We offer a range of benefits, beyond pay, to our armed forces recruits when they begin a career. We should highlight the package in the round during recruitment efforts.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions or timeline for promoting opportunities were not provided

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