Commons Sense

House of Commons · Bill Debate

Maternity Leave (Attorney General) Bill - Clause 1

01 March 2021 · 7 other contributors

Opened by Penny Mordaunt Con Portsmouth North

Employment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Penny Mordaunt raised concerns about maternity leave (attorney general) bill - clause 1 in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • The Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, Penny Mordaunt, moves the House to agree with Lords amendment 1.
  • The amendments change 'person' to 'mother' or 'expectant mother' to enable Ministers to take paid maternity leave.
  • Further work on shared parental leave and adoption leave is planned, but this bill is seen as an initial step towards broader reform.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Penny Mordaunt Con Portsmouth North

The Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, Penny Mordaunt, moves the House to agree with Lords amendment 1. She argues that this Bill enables Ministers to take paid maternity leave for an extended period, ending the unacceptable situation where a Minister would have to resign from Cabinet or their post due to childbirth and childcare needs. The amendments in clauses 1 to 3 change 'person' to 'mother' or 'expectant mother', reflecting public sentiment while maintaining legal accuracy. These changes are in line with recent case law of the Court of Appeal and do not affect the operation of the Bill. She also notes that further work will be done on shared parental leave and adoption leave, but this bill is seen as a first step towards broader reform.

Other contributors (7)
  • Cat Smith Lab Lancaster and Wyre

    Cat Smith supports the Bill to ensure that the Attorney General can take maternity leave, but notes significant limitations in the legislation. She highlights the lack of ambition in addressing broader parental leave issues such as paternity and shared parental leave. She also raises concerns about the Government's failure to address discrimination faced by pregnant women during the pandemic regarding self-employment support schemes. Smith urges for adoption leave and leave for parents of premature or sick babies, reflecting a need for more comprehensive legislation.

  • Kirsten Oswald SNP Dumfirkirk

    Ms. Oswald supported the Bill but argued that it is inadequate and too narrow in scope, only addressing maternity leave for birth mothers. She highlighted statistics from Pregnant Then Screwed showing high percentages of women believing their maternity leave has been a factor in redundancy decisions and significant financial impacts on self-employed women who have taken multiple leaves.

  • Christine Jardine Lib Dem Edinburgh West

    She supports gender-neutral language in the Bill to ensure it is inclusive and does not exclude any group. She believes that delaying the legislation over language issues would be counterproductive, as it could undermine important rights for LGBT individuals. Jardine emphasises her commitment to parental leave rights but stresses the need for urgent passage of the bill.

  • Kim Johnson Lab Liverpool Riverside

    Johnson welcomes the Bill but argues it does not go far enough in promoting gender equality. She points out that the Bill only covers maternity leave for birth mothers and ignores other forms of parental leave, such as paternity or adoption leave. Johnson calls for the Government to strengthen the Bill and ensure it includes all types of parents. She also highlights the disproportionate impact of austerity cuts on women and the need for a fair economic recovery plan.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Shannon supports the amendments, arguing that they clarify the position regarding maternity allowances. He emphasises the importance of recognising all forms of motherhood and highlights the need for similar provisions in devolved administrations and local government.

  • Penny Mordaunt Con Portsmouth North

    The Minister emphasised the importance of addressing related areas through future work, citing the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's efforts to support women economically. She clarified that due to legal complexities around royal prerogatives and payroll caps, adoption leave and shared parental leave were excluded from this Bill but will be addressed in future legislation. The Minister also underscored the need for Parliament to ensure trans people are supported and acknowledged that amendments being accepted are legally sound.

  • Eleanor Laing Con Welwick

    The Speaker of the House, Eleanor Laing, concluded the debate on Lords Amendments by suspending the House for necessary arrangements before proceeding to the next business. No specific arguments were provided.

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