Plans to allow small firms to negotiate parental (maternity) leave

[flyingcloud]

Has this been done?

It just makes me so :(

I have just had a good google meditrina and I haven't found anything.

With changes like this can they just do them - and through the budget - without any need for consultation periods of anything? I don't really know how these things work TBH. I mean I know that some things can go through without being debated and that, but I'm surprised this is one of them IYSWIM.

I've realised I don't know exactly which laws apply, nor whether the current regulations all have the force of law.

I suppose what they need to do will depend on what actual changes they want to make. At the moment, all we've really heard is that it's an area that might be looked at. Absent proposals, it's difficult to know what to make of it. Still, if it's going to be in the Budget, we'll hear soon. But it might crop up at another time if there needs to be a change to other legislation.

" In the UK, only 25% of the adult population are net contributors - 75% are net beneficiaries (though most of these do pay tax)."

Really??? That sounds very high. Does it include using state schools and the NHS?

It would be interesting to see the source of this oft-quoted stat. What it includes etc etc.

People contribute more to the economy than simply what they pay in taxes, the mere fact of their working and spending and contributing to pension schemes and all the rest of it keeps the whole thing chuntering along.

Yes it would include schooling and NHS and pensions and everything.

But maybe not the stuff that people put into the economy which isn't direct tax.

I didn't catch anything about this in the Budget.

Did I miss something? Or perhaps this was never a serious proposal?

I had it on the BBC online coverage here as well and didn't see anything. Also have googled and looked at their "key points" and it's not mentioned.

Looks like it was never a serious proposal? i must say I was surprised as I would have thought that it would go against the EU rules.

I sometimes wonder with this stuff if they put shocking stuff out in advance and then everyone is relieved when the real stuff is announced IYSWIM.

Interestingly they have only published about 6 of the "have your say" comments on the BBC live feed and 2 of them are to do with mat leave - so it's obviously something that lots of people were aware of - but no-one on teh BBC has said anything about those posts. Odd.