Work and Families Bill

I am particularly grateful to be called at this point. I think someone on the Conservative Benches had a little word in your ear, Madam Deputy Speaker, as I am hoping to get home to say goodnight to my little boy, which I try to do every evening, although the demands of the House make it difficult on occasions. I wish no discourtesy to you and to the next hon. Member to make a speech, but I will be chasing off after my remarks. Obviously, I hope to be back to listen to the Minister’s response to our concerns and to my hon. Friend the Member for Epping Forest (Mrs. Laing). On the whole, I welcome what the Government are doing. I echo the remarks of my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) as to what the Government are seeking to do. The Government were right on taking office to extend the time for maternity leave and to extend payments for women seeking to take maternity leave. Labour Members always pretend that the gain would have stopped in 1997 and that the Conservative party might not have made equal progress on many of these matters, but time moves on and, given the wonderfully performing economy that was left at the time, clearly these things could have been more easily afforded.