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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the consultation response, Good Work Plan: Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination, published in July 2019, what progress his Department has made on tackling pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace.

Following the Government’s response to the consultation on redundancy protection and pregnancy and maternity discrimination the country entered a period of unprecedented challenge as it tackled the pandemic. The Government took extensive measures to support and protect the people most affected, including pregnant women and new mothers.

As the country emerged from the pandemic, the Government established a Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Advisory Board. The Board has met three times, has reviewed Health and Safety Executive guidance on pregnant women and risk assessments and has considered the issues raised through Members’ helplines - which will be used to inform future work.