Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to allow all pregnant women to have a partner attend hospital and anti-natal appointments throughout their pregnancy during the covid-19 outbreak.

The National Health Service is making arrangements to ensure that women are supported and cared for safely through pregnancy, birth and the period afterwards during this pandemic.

NHS England and NHS Improvement published a new Framework to assist NHS trusts to reintroduce access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women in English maternity services on 8 September which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/09/par001599-framework-for-the-reintroduction-of-visitors-throughout-maternity-services-sep-2020.pdf

We expect trusts to use this Framework and consider as a priority how access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women can be reintroduced whilst maintaining the safety of all service users, staff and visitors.