Clause 18

after subsection (2), insert —“(2A) The Government may recover from a person who is a natural parent or an adoptive parent of an April 2025 Scheme child, an amount in accordance with regulations made under section 20 if, in relation to the birth or adoption of the child —

the Government has paid one or more of the following:

any amount under section 12DC(2) to the person in respect of the birth or adoption of the child, whichever is applicable;

any reimbursement claimed by the employer of the person under section 12DB (whether or not pursuant to an exemption under section 22) for any amount paid to the person in respect of the birth or adoption of the child, as the case may be; and

either of the following applies:

the total period of absence from work under section 12DA(2), and the extra absence period, to which the payment by the Government under paragraph (a) relates, exceeds the period of (N × 7) days applicable to the person under section 12DC(2);

the total amount paid by the Government under paragraph (a) exceeds the amount mentioned in section 12DC(2).”;

in subsection (4), replace “and (3)” with “, (2A) and (3)”;

in subsection (5)(b), delete “or” at the end; and

in subsection (5), after paragraph (b), insert —“(ba)in the case of subsection (2A)(b)(i) in relation to a person whose employer has claimed reimbursement from the Government under section 12DB(6) — the period of the person’s absence from work granted by the employer that was the subject of the reimbursement; or”.