Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what resources they provide to a service person who is serving overseas to visit their pregnant partner or new baby in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
While it is understood that pregnancy and the birth of a baby are exceptionally important events in the life of a Service person, in the absence of medical complications or emergencies Service personnel would be expected to use their standard allocations of leave and travel for travel back to the UK. Known pregnancies are fully considered in the pre-deployment phase to either mitigate the need for the Service person to return home or plan for that eventuality.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the reasons for the differences between the non-confinement policies operated by the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, specifically in Kenya; and why the Ministry of Defence is more restrictive.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The criteria for confinement or non-confinement during the pregnancies of Service personnel are based on individual medical assessments. A decision on confinement in any location is based on an assessment of risk, to both the mother and baby, informed by both primary and secondary healthcare experts.
For Kenya, specifically, a number of factors are considered. For example, Service personnel in Kenya mainly reside in Nanyuki, which does not provide access to the level of neonatal care equivalent to the NHS. Once born, the child and their supportability must also be considered, including access to specialist emergency care and the risks posed by Yellow Fever and malaria, for which vaccination and chemoprophylaxis respectively are not recommended from birth.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the Ministry of Defence is ensuring that its non-confinement policy is (1) not discriminatory to its workforce, and (2) ensures the greatest available pool of talent is available to serve in demanding roles overseas.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
Before a posting, Service personnel are informed by the Ministry of Defence if it is to a non-confinement location, where children are not supportable until 6 months of age. Most personnel are willing to follow this advice and return to the UK. If concerns are expressed, however, Defence Primary Healthcare will work with the Chain of Command to offer the best possible solution on an individual basis. This might include an earlier return to a non-confinement location, after consideration of all the relevant factors.
Asked by: Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what resources they provide to support pregnant service persons or dependents who are required to return to the UK to have their baby while on an overseas posting, especially if there is no familial network for support.
Answered by Baroness Goldie - Shadow Minister (Defence)
Pregnant Servicewomen returning to the UK will be the responsibility of a chain of command and managed by a parent unit, having the ability to use welfare facilities provided by that unit, and access welfare support provided by that unit's chain of command.
If a pregnant Servicewoman, or spouse of a Service person, is returned to the UK on the advice of medical professionals, travel by an appropriate method will be at public expense. Additionally, the cost of subsistence may be paid for the pregnant woman up to a period of six weeks before, and up to two weeks after the birth. Compassionate leave may be granted by the Commanding Officer of the pregnant Servicewoman, or their serving spouse/civil partner, providing an authorised period of absence to enable them to attend to an immediate domestic crisis.
Servicewomen are not entitled under law to Statutory Maternity Leave. However, provision for maternity leave equating to the statutory arrangements is made by the Armed Forces Occupational Maternity Scheme. Additionally, the MOD enables Shared Parental Leave which provides eligible Service personnel who are parents, with a flexible way to share time off work in the first year after their child is born or placed with them for adoption. Defence also offers Service personnel a package of modern Flexible Working opportunities aimed at reducing stress, improving work/life balance, and encouraging continued service through changing circumstances. In return, Flexible Working gives Defence greater agility to deliver its outcomes.