Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons some NHS hospitals do not permit birthing partners to remain overnight; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of those policies on (a) mothers and (b) families.

National Health Service maternity providers will make local policies around partners being able to stay overnight based on the availability of appropriate accommodation and the need to preserve the privacy and dignity of all inpatients. NHS England expects providers to work with local Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships to ensure the involvement of women and their families in decision-making.