And another point that has not yet been mentioned is that statutory maternity leave entitlement might be a source for discrimination against women. Obviously it would be illegal to hire a man rather than a woman on the basis that she might take paid maturnity leave and then return, but in the real world it would hardly be surprising if this did not go on. If you want to stop this kind of discrimination, it'd seem the only thing to do would be give men and women the same maturnity/paternity leave rights.