Adoption (Leave, Pay and Allowance Arrangements) Bill (HC Bill 212)
A
BILL
TO
Make provision to equalise leave, pay and allowance arrangements for
adoptive parents with those of parents whose children are born to them; to
equalise eligibility for adoption leave and pay with that of maternity leave and
pay; to equalise the rates of pay for the first six weeks of maternity leave and
adoption leave; to equalise the entitlement to allowances for self-employed
adopters and self-employed mothers; and for connected purposes.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1 Analysis by the Secretary of State
The Secretary of State shall conduct an analysis of the potential costs, benefits
and desirability of equalising leave, pay and allowance arrangements for
adoptive parents with those of parents whose children are born to them, in
5accordance with section 2.
2 Provisions to be the subject of analysis
The analysis to be undertaken by the Secretary of State shall cover the
following provisions—
(a)
That a person who is employed and who is to adopt a child shall be
10entitled to—
(i)
the same pay and leave entitlements as those employees on
maternity leave, including no requirement for 26 weeks’
continuous employment before entitlement to adoption leave;
and
(ii)
15higher rates of statutory adoption pay during the first six weeks
of adoption leave.
(b)
Providing for adoptive parents who are self-employed or in receipt of
welfare benefits to receive a weekly payment during the adoption pay
period equivalent to the maternity allowance paid to new parents
20whose children are born to them.
Adoption (Leave, Pay and Allowance Arrangements) BillPage 2
(c)
Including such incidental, consequential, supplementary and
transitional provisions as the Secretary of State may consider necessary
or expedient.
3 Publication of the report
5The Secretary of State shall publish a report of the results of the analysis before
the end of the period of 3 months beginning with the day on which this Act is
passed.
4 Short title, commencement and extent
(1)
This Act may be cited as the Adoption (Leave, Pay and Allowance
10Arrangements) Act 2012.
(2)
This Act shall come into force on such date as the Secretary of State may by
order made by statutory instrument appoint.
(3) This Act does not extend to Northern Ireland.