FORMER Health Secretary Alan Milburn will say today that life is "a million times better" since he resigned from the Cabinet to spend more time with his family, and he will urge the Government to do much more to help other people correct their work/life balance.

The Darlington MP will ask the Government to draw up a 15-year strategy to assist families, and he will ask for greater flexibility in working hours, longer and better paid parental leave and for improved nursery provision and childcare.

One of his biggest ideas for Labour's third term in office is for fathers to take up to a year's paid paternity leave to look after a newborn baby.

Speaking to the influential think-tank Demos, in London, Mr Milburn will also suggest the creation of an Investors in People-style scheme to encourage employers to introduce more family-friendly policies.

He will say: "There are practical steps the Government can take to help working families - fostering flexibility at work, tackling unfairness in pay and improving help for parents. But Government cannot do it alone. Employers should be doing far more if for no other reason than the potential pay-back in improved productivity and morale they would get."

Tony Blair, Mr Milburn's close friend who represents Sedgefield, has asked the Darlington MP to produce ideas for Labour's next manifesto.

The work/life balance issue draws heavily on Mr Milburn's experience when he left the Cabinet nine months ago to spend more time with his partner, Dr Ruth Briel, and their two sons, in Northumberland.

He will say: "In those days, the time I had at home was more snatched than quality time. In the end something had to give.

"Mine was a very personal choice to be around more to see my kids grow up. It was - and is - undoubtedly the right one for me and my family. Life feels a million times better."

Mr Milburn believes Labour has made a start in tackling the issue, notably through the SureStart scheme and increasing the availablility of flexi-time, but there is more to do.

At present, British three-year-olds are entitled to 2.5 days of nursery education a week. Mr Milburn wants to raise this to the Scandinavian average of eight hours a week.

He also wants companies to tackle the gender gap, where women who work part-time are paid up to 40 per cent less than men doing the same job.

He will conclude his speech by saying: "In the end life is a series of trade-offs and people have to make their own choices. I was fortunate when I made mine. It was the right choice and one that I have not regretted for a single day.

"But the truth is I could afford to choose to do less work in order to buy more time. It is not so easy if you are a porter in a hospital or a secretary in an office.

"The job of progressive governments today is to help more people so they are able to choose.

"Spreading opportunities must be at the core of today's political agenda for Britain."