UK: Paternity rights: In the name of the father

Article here. Excerpt:

'From her suggestion that women would not have caused the banking crisis to her proposal that the Labour party leadership team should always consist of one man and one woman, Harriet Harman has covered plenty of topical work-related ground this summer. But for all her supposed outspokenness, it was the deputy Labour leader's comments in support of extra parental leave and flexible working rights that invoked the irritation of her cabinet colleague Lord Mandelson and captured some of the biggest headlines.
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Although some companies do offer generous maternity and paternity packages, many just offer the statutory amount. At present this is 90% of a mother's average weekly earnings for the first six weeks then up to £123.06 for the remaining 33 weeks; only the mother can take this. Fathers and same-sex partners who are not the mother are entitled to up to two weeks' leave, starting after the baby has been born and finishing before the baby is 56 days old. These two weeks have to be taken together – they cannot be split into odd days or one-week slots, and this is also paid at the rate of £123.06 (or 90% of your average weekly earnings if this is less).'