PARENTAL leave rules currently hold women and working families back, said the TUC today as the government announced a review into the system.

“Shifting social and gender norms” will be among four objectives for the probe, said employment rights minister Justin Madders as he unveiled the plan.

He said that “support for economic growth by enabling more parents to stay in work and advance their careers” could help the government better tackle the gender pay gap.

The review, to be carried out by the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Work and Pensions, will also consider how to “balance costs and benefits to businesses and the Exchequer, as well as examining how a system can support economic opportunities for businesses and families” and ”improving our society, for example, in supporting the child poverty strategy and on shifting social and gender norms, including around paternal childcare.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said that for ”too many families, the system is failing" as he regarded the review as a "welcome starting point.”

”Without better rights to well-paid leave, too many new parents will continue to miss out on spending time with their children — with dads often missing out most. And mums will continue to take on the bulk of caring,” he added.

”That holds back women at work, working families and our wider economy too.”

Currently, new fathers can take two weeks’ paid leave, at a rate of either £187.18 or 90 per cent of average weekly earnings — whichever is lowest.

Maternity leave is paid at 90 per cent of average weekly earnings for the first six weeks, and then 90 per cent or £187.18 for the next 33 weeks.