Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to extend employment protection rights for pregnant women to people that are in the process of adopting children.

Pregnancy is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act. Pregnant women also get additional consideration under Health and Safety legislation because of the different risks they may face in the workplace. The Government has no current plans to extend these rights to people who are in the process of adopting children.

Employees looking to adopt are already entitled to paid time off to attend adoption appointments. They are also entitled to up to 52 weeks Adoption Leave. When on Adoption Leave, they have additional redundancy protections which equate to those for Maternity Leave.

Following consultation last year, the Government has committed to extend the redundancy protection which a parent currently enjoys while on maternity leave, shared parental leave or adoption leave, for a period for six months following a return to work.

We will bring these measures forward as soon as there is an appropriate opportunity.