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Work and Families Bill

I am most grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley, for her clear articulation in support of the amendment and to the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, for his erudite fleshing out of the previous supporting comments. Forty years ago I met and married a nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital, so I have had the importance of the first year of a child’s life drummed into me solidly through the years. Pastorally, I have seen again and again good evidence of the importance and the effect of this. Without wanting to reiterate the points that have already been made, if we want a healthy society and family life, structuring and facilitating our society, and if we want an economically buoyant, efficient and effective society, we must be prepared to invest in it. This is a small investment with great potential outcomes to give women on maternity leave the latitude to have realistic options so that they can take their time to build up that bond of affection with their children.