The Chancellor announced in his Pre-Budget report on 2 December 2004 that the government has set a goal to extend paid matenity leave to 12 months and make it transferable from the mother to the father. This will however, not be acheived in this parliament. He has instead announced an extension of maternity leave to 39 weeks (from the current 26 weeks) from April 2007.

This will be good news for families but puts added burden on employers if key members of staff will be absent for longer periods.