Radical move could double mums' paid leave

Both parents could be given up to a year off work under controversial moves to overhaul maternity leave.

Children's Minister Margaret Hodge wants to double the amount of paid time off for new mothers and increase rights for fathers.

She believes both parents have a "critical" role to play in the first year of a baby's life and should be encouraged to spend more time at home.

Such a dramatic extension in maternity and paternity leave would delight equality groups and family campaigners who have long argued the Government does not do enough to support new parents.

But Mrs Hodge's call is certain to be opposed by employers, who would face huge additional costs. Many small businesses would struggle to find the cash. New mothers are currently entitled to 26 weeks off work, while fathers can take two weeks of paid paternity leave.

However, Mrs Hodge believes both parents should be given the opportunity to stay at home for longer.

In a speech to the Social Market Foundation think tank in London last night she said she had recently come back from a visit to Sweden "full of envy" at the generous maternity and paternity entitlements there.

She said: "Their investment in services is matched by their more generous settlement for parents with better and longer paid leave for both mothers and fathers. And providing that support to parents, particularly after the baby is born, has to be part of what we are about.

"In my view, we should be working towards parents having the opportunity to stay at home for the crucial first year of their child's life. And that opportunity should be open to both mothers and fathers."

Mrs Hodge, a mother of four, acknowledged that any extension to benefits would "need to be affordable" and introduced in a "light touch way". But she said doubling maternity leave should be considered.

"One possibility we can, and I think we should consider, could be to extend paid maternity leave for a further six months." Earlier this week, Mrs Hodge and Women's Minister Patricia Hewitt admitted that efforts needed to be made to encourage more women to vote.

In her speech, Mrs Hodge claimed both parents needed help to fulfil their responsibilities to their children.

She said: "All the research confirms the important role fathers - as well as mothers - play in their children's lives.

"Yet too few fathers take time out of work in the first year to care for their baby. This is partly a result of pay differences between men and women."

Mrs Hodge's speech sends a clear signal the Government plans to fight the General Election on a platform of investing more money in the early years of children's lives.