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Statutory Menstrual Leave
13 April 2026
Lead MP
Paul Davies
Colne Valley
Lab
Responding Minister
Kate Dearden
Tags
EmploymentForeign AffairsWomen & Equalities
Word Count: 11643
Other Contributors: 7
At a Glance
Paul Davies raised concerns about statutory menstrual leave in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I urge the government to support statutory menstrual lea [3D [K leave for those diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis, allowing up to [2D [K to three days per month off work. Additionally, I call for significant impr [4D [K improvements in early intervention, diagnosis, and GP training on these con [3D [K conditions.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
I am concerned about the significant impact of endom [5D [K endometriosis and adenomyosis on women's health, including chronic pain, fa [2D [K fatigue, and infertility. These conditions affect over 1.5 million UK women [5D [K women, with an additional 40% suffering from adenomyosis. They cost the eco [3D [K economy more than £8 billion annually, impacting workplace productivity and [3D [K and participation. Many women face difficulty obtaining a diagnosis, often [K waiting nine years on average, and suffer continuous dismissal of their sym [3D [K symptoms by healthcare providers.
Clapham and Brixton Hill
Responding to Emily Darlington's speech, Bell Ribeir [6D [K Ribeiro-Addy noted the average diagnosis time for adenomyosis is nine years [5D [K years and four months. The MP highlighted the universal nature of menstruat [9D [K menstruation while emphasizing the shame and stigma surrounding it. She dis [3D [K discussed the need for statutory menstrual leave to address workplace discr [5D [K discrimination and underinvestment in female reproductive health conditions [10D [K conditions, such as endometriosis, which often take years to diagnose. The [K MP cited global examples where menstrual leave is already implemented succe [5D [K successfully.
Emily Darlington
Lab
Milton Keynes Central
She shared her personal experience of adenomyosis, h [1D [K highlighting the long diagnostic journey that took over 30 years and affect [6D [K affected many women from ethnically diverse communities for more than eleve [5D [K eleven years. She detailed issues with misdiagnosis, dismissive medical adv [3D [K advice, and inadequate treatment, emphasising the impact on work life and c [1D [K career progression.
Joshua Reynolds
Lib Dem
Maidenhead
Mr Reynolds highlighted the impact of endometriosis [K on his constituent's life, emphasizing long wait times for diagnosis and so [2D [K societal normalization of severe period pain. He cited statistics from Endo [4D [K Endometriosis UK indicating an average nine-year wait time for a diagnosis, [10D [K diagnosis, with women from ethnically diverse communities waiting 11 years. [6D [K years. Mr Reynolds argued that this issue is both a health crisis and an ec [2D [K economic one, costing the UK £11 billion annually in absenteeism due to con [3D [K conditions like endometriosis.
Kirsteen Sullivan
Labour/Co-opera [16D [K (Labour/Co-operative
Bathgate and Linlithgow
Ms Sullivan highlighted the challenges faced by wome [4D [K women with endometriosis, noting that one in six leave their workplace due [K to health conditions. She called for an endo-friendly employer scheme certi [5D [K certification and shorter wait times for diagnoses under the women's health [6D [K health strategy refresh. The MP agreed with her colleague about the impact on [2D [K on women's mental health, noting that constant pain and anticipation of it [K can lead to feelings of being ignored and dismissed, which is rarely acknow [6D [K acknowledged but must be addressed. Menstrual health conditions, including endometriosis [13D [K endometriosis, result in an estimated cost of £11 billion a year to the UK [K economy. She agrees that supportive workplaces without stigma will positive [8D [K positively impact both women with these conditions and the overall economy. [8D [K economy.
Michelle Welsh
Lab
Sherwood Forest
Women living with chronic pain and exhaustion caused [6D [K caused by conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS [5D [K (PCOS), and similar conditions face severe menstrual symptoms that affect t [1D [K their ability to work. Ms Welsh highlights the need for menstrual leave in [K law to prioritise health without fear of losing income or facing workplace [K repercussions. She also calls for a menstruation action plan akin to Portug [6D [K Portugal and Spain's policies, emphasising the importance of timely diagnos [7D [K diagnosis to access appropriate treatments and reasonable adjustments at wo [2D [K work.
Rebecca Paul
Con
Reigate
Recognised Michelle Dewar's campaign for menstrual r [1D [K relief, highlighting the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and a [1D [K adenomyosis. Emphasised that these conditions affect one in 10 women of rep [3D [K reproductive age, causing chronic pain and heavy bleeding, leading to an av [2D [K average delay of eight years and ten months before diagnosis. Noted a drop [K in monthly earnings among diagnosed women due to the condition, citing a £1 [2D [K £130 monthly reduction post-diagnosis. Praised the roll-out of community di [2D [K diagnostic centres but argued that statutory sick pay already covers necess [6D [K necessary time off without discrimination.
Scott Arthur
Lab
Edinburgh South West
The MP highlighted the impact of adenomyosis and end [3D [K endometriosis on personal and work life, citing a constituent's struggle wi [2D [K with severe pain. He noted that around 10% of menstruators suffer from one [K of these conditions, potentially affecting thousands in Edinburgh South Wes [3D [K West. The MP also discussed inconsistencies among employers regarding menst [5D [K menstrual leave, emphasizing the need for evidence-based best practices and [3D [K and supporting businesses or organisations introducing such policies. Mr Arthur intervened to question the Liberal Democra [7D [K Democrats' position on sick pay measures for workers' rights, noting that h [1D [K his party supported these changes while the Liberal Democrats opposed them. [5D [K them.
Government Response
Kate Dearden
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, [K Mr Mundell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Paul Davies [6D [K Davies) for opening today's debate and for bravely sharing his wife Leah's [K experience of living with endometriosis. The minister recognises the streng [6D [K strength of women and girls living with endometriosis, adenomyosis, and oth [3D [K other menstrual conditions, acknowledging that health-related issues are a [K leading cause of women being excluded in the workplace; over the past six y [1D [K years, the number of women who are economically inactive due to long-term s [1D [K sickness has risen by 425,000, reaching 1.48 million—close to a record high [4D [K high. The Government's landmark Employment Rights Act extends statutory sic [3D [K sick pay to employees from day one regardless of earnings and ensures that [K those with fluctuating conditions like endometriosis are eligible for statu [5D [K statutory sick pay from the first day they cannot work. The minister also d [1D [K discusses flexible working arrangements, equality action plans, Mariella Fr [2D [K Frostrup's role as the Government's women's employment ambassador, communit [8D [K community diagnostic services, online hospital facilities, menstrual health [6D [K health awareness improvements, and the ongoing development of the women's h [1D [K health strategy to address gaps in care and ensure high-quality service del [3D [K delivery.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.