THE Scottish Greens have called on the Westminster government to “support our next generation” by extending maternity and paternity pay and shared parental leave.

As families marked Mother’s Day today, the party’s health and social care spokeswoman Gillian Mackay, who is expecting her first child this summer, warned that financial insecurity is forcing many to put off parenthood.  

Urging the Labour government to levy a wealth tax to extend statutory maternity pay, she argued: “The UK government could make a big difference for expectant parents by expanding maternity and paternity pay and offering them far greater peace of mind and stability.

“Statutory maternity pay in the UK is far too low, and lags far behind many other European countries.

“Not everybody will want to have children, but people who do should not be deterred by poor parental pay.”

A UK government spokesperson said: “Statutory maternity pay and maternity allowance are uprated each year and are only one element of support available for pregnant women and new mothers, who may also be eligible for universal credit or child benefit.”