Work and Families Bill

I do not accept that. Interestingly, the hon. Gentleman mentions manpower, so I presume he is talking about paternity leave. We do not initially expect a large queue of people waiting to take the leave. We think that it will apply to 16,000 to 18,000, and about one in 700 small businesses will be affected every couple of years. It is unlikely to have an enormous impact. I want to stress the positive impact on the employment market and small businesses in particular. Many small businesses, including a small business man, Simon Topman, helped us to shape much of what we have done on work-life balance since we came into power. It is about ensuring that small businesses do not lose valued members of staff. People, usually women, found it difficult to balance their working life with their domestic requirements. Many small businesses have been pleased that the legislation has been implemented because it helps to retain staff.