Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Menopause: Workplace Support

Monday 13 November 2023 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government appointed Helen Tomlinson as the menopause employment champion for England.
  • Department has a menopause and workplace policy with 350 menopause ambassadors.
  • Question about flexible working rights directed to Department for Business and Trade.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Simon Jupp
Women & Equalities
Context

The question arises from concerns about inadequate workplace support for women during the menopause.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to help improve workplace support for women experiencing the menopause?

Answer from Mel Stride

We take the challenges of the menopause very seriously, which is why the Government appointed Helen Tomlinson as the menopause employment champion for England. In terms of progress, I point my hon. Friend to the report, “No Time to Step Back”.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific steps being taken by the department beyond mentioning a champion and a report.

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Q2 Simon Jupp
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

In Devon, there is extensive work to improve access to menopause services. However, support for women in the workplace remains lacking.

Question

What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to raise menopause awareness among employers?

Answer from Mel Stride

I thank my hon. Friend for his question and for his extensive work as my constituency neighbour, pushing for proper support in all GP practices across the county. We lead by example: 64% of the Department's staff are female and we have a menopause and workplace policy, which sees 350 menopause ambassadors across our DWP network.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific steps to raise awareness among employers beyond highlighting internal policies.

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Q3 Kirsten Oswald SNP
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

A significant number of women in the UK have quit their jobs due to menopause symptoms. Flexible work can help manage these symptoms and reduce economic inactivity.

Question

What conversations have taken place between Cabinet colleagues on removing the onus on employees to request flexible working and instead ensuring that that is provided as a day one right, by default?

Answer from Mel Stride

The hon. Lady's question is best directed to the Department for Business and Trade rather than DWP, as it relates to employment legislation and regulation. However, I am pleased to tell her that we have our 50PLUS champions, work coaches in our jobcentres, the Midlife MOT and many other measures that are there to help exactly the people she describes.

Not addressed: Did not answer about conversations on employment legislation but instead directed the question elsewhere and mentioned unrelated measures.

How: Directing The Question To Another Department

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