Mary Henry (Independent)

I am also fairly realistic. Most businesses that are well run will be flexible but those that are not so well run will not be as flexible as one would like them to be. It is well worth taking account of the amendment.

I have always contended that while this Bill concerns parental leave and looking after children, children are the responsibility of society as a whole and not just their parents. This is because our economy will proposer to the extent that they succeed. Our economy has prospered and we have done incredibly well over the past 30 years because of initiatives such as free education. Should we really make people pay for that? In referring to free education, I include free secondary education. Such initiatives have improved the country as a whole. What we seek is a small measure in that we all have an interest in the welfare of the children of the country, not just their parents.