Recommendations & Conclusions
30 items
1
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Not Addressed
The Government’s response has argued that the UK’s maternity leave offer is already amongst the most generous in the world. Although up to 52 weeks leave is generous compared to other countries, the amount of maternity pay is not the most generous in the world. While we accept that other …
Government response. The government's response does not address the recommendation to capture data on the uptake of parental leave and pay, instead focusing on defending the generosity and flexibility of existing maternity leave arrangements and rejecting the idea of extending entitlements.
2
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Rejected
As a matter of urgency the Government should consider whether Maternity Allowance should be considered as earnings in the same way as Statutory Maternity Pay and should not lead to deductions from Universal Credit.
Government response. The government rejects changing the treatment of Maternity Allowance within Universal Credit, explaining it is considered unearned income and thus deducted pound-for-pound, unlike Statutory Maternity Pay which is treated as earnings.
3
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Rejected
Parental leave and pay are not unique in having different provisions for employed and self-employed people, and this is just one area of a complex benefit system. It is however apparent that many of the inequalities are not a reflection of differing circumstances, but more of an oversight by successive …
Government response. The government implicitly rejects equalising benefits for self-employed adoptive parents, explaining existing different provisions and discretionary local authority payments. For special guardians, it defers action, stating it has consulted on parental leave reforms and will respond in due course.
4
Conclusion
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Not Addressed
The Government has suggested that women can be furloughed as a means of extending their maternity leave and delaying their return to work. However, access to the scheme is reliant on employers’ consent, rather than parents having a right to it, and there are strict limitations to whom it can …
Government response. The government explained the purpose and temporary nature of the CJRS, confirming that employers are not obliged to use the scheme, and reiterated existing health and safety requirements for pregnant employees, without directly addressing the committee's concerns about fairness and …
5
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Accepted
For those new parents on maternity leave for whom furlough was already possible, the Government failed to make it clear either to them or their employers that it was an option. The Government should publish clear new guidance for employees 58 The impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave …
Government response. The government agrees with the need for clear information, but states that GOV.UK already contains a wealth of rigorously user-tested guidance, including specific pages on maternity leave and the CJRS, and ruled out a single 'one-stop shop'.
6
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Accepted in Part
The Government’s work to ensure premises are safe for workers during the pandemic is welcome. As an at-risk group, there is more that can be done to ensure that employers are aware of their responsibilities for the safety of pregnant women in the workplace, including the need for them to …
Government response. The government states that clear guidance for employers on their obligations to pregnant women, including the right to suspension on full pay if they cannot work safely, has been published by the HSE. However, it does not commit to extending …
7
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Rejected
In addition to the immediate financial consequences for pregnant women of being put on Statutory Sick Pay or unpaid leave—often when they should have been suspended on full pay—in many cases the loss of income that results can also mean women lose their rights to Statutory Maternity Pay. This is …
Government response. The government rejects the recommendation to amend Statutory Maternity Pay calculations to disregard lower income periods from Statutory Sick Pay or unpaid leave, stating that while adjustments were made for furlough, SSP is not a new situation and there are …
8
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Accepted in Part
The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme uses three years of tax returns to assess the average income of claimants. Claimants who have undertaken periods of parental leave in these years, will not receive support at a level representative of their usual earnings. We recommend that the Government amend the terms of …
Government response. The government has amended the SEISS scheme to make previously ineligible self-employed parents, whose 2018/19 tax returns were affected by new childcare, eligible for the scheme. However, it clarifies that the grant calculation for those already eligible is unaffected.
9
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Rejected
The Government’s decision to reject the request to extend maternity leave has been hugely disappointing to the hundreds of thousands of people who have signed this petition. In these extraordinary circumstances, where the Government has taken exceptional action to support different groups of people, we believe that extending maternity leave …
Government response. The government rejects the recommendation to extend parental leave and pay, citing the significant cost to the Exchequer and the additional burden on businesses at a challenging time.
10
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Deferred
It is difficult to see how health visitors will be able to ‘catch-up’ with their important contact visits to provide the much-needed support for new parents and to help identify those who are vulnerable and most in need. This risks more vulnerable children and families becoming hidden. The Government should …
Government response. The government states that the allocation of health visitor resources is a matter for local authorities and has provided additional funding to local authorities to address Covid-19 pressures, but does not commit to a government review of provision or increased …
11
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Accepted
While baby classes may not be directly vital to baby development, they provide important support to new parents, which will benefit the care they can provide. From our discussions with the sector and with the Minister, there has not been sufficient engagement with these groups or appropriate consideration of the …
Government response. The government acknowledges the important role of parent and baby groups and commits to hosting a meeting with the sector to better understand how they can be supported.
12
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Not Addressed
New parents have missed out on vital support from professionals such as health visitors to baby classes and groups. We’ve heard how important this support is for parental mental health and for helping to lay the foundation for parenting, family life and early infant development. The Government has announced a …
Government response. The government states community health services continued support during the pandemic and that health visitor resources are a matter for local authorities. It mentions general funding for local authorities and charities but does not commit to additional catch-up support specifically …
13
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Rejected
Free dental care is an important benefit that most pregnant and new mothers have been unable to access as the result of the pandemic. The Government should extend maternity dentist provision for new and expectant mothers affected by the pandemic for at least six months, so new mothers have the …
Government response. The government rejects extending free maternity dental provision for new and expectant mothers, stating it has no plans to extend existing charge exemptions at this time, while noting routine dentistry has restarted.
14
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Accepted
Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the mental health of the whole nation. New and expectant parents have especially been put under tremendous strain during what is already an incredibly challenging time in their lives. It is extremely likely that there will be a significant increase in mental health …
Government response. The government acknowledges the issue and highlights existing guidance, open services, and ongoing commitments to expand perinatal mental health services by 2023/24, without committing to additional targeted support specifically for new parents affected by COVID-19.
15
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Rejected
Adoptive parents and their children have faced uniquely challenging situations without the access to the professional and informal support that they need. These children are among the most vulnerable in society. In the most serious situations, we’ve heard that the negative impacts of Covid-19 could lead to an increase in …
Government response. The government rejected the recommendation to extend adoption leave and pay, stating that existing entitlements of 52 weeks leave and 39 weeks pay, along with other flexible working options, are already generous and sufficient for new parents.
16
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Rejected
The Government’s response to this inquiry so far has not addressed the immediate situation faced by self-employed adoptive parents as a result of Covid-19. A future review, although welcome, may not come in time for this cohort of parents and children who desperately need additional support. Adoptive parents spend a …
Government response. The government rejects the recommendation to equalise benefits for self-employed adoptive parents, explaining that maternity entitlements have health and safety considerations for birth mothers that do not apply to adopters. It notes that local authorities can already consider discretionary, means-tested …
17
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Deferred
Special guardians need time and support to help their often highly vulnerable children to settle into their new kinship families in the same way that adoptive and other parents do. They should not be treated any differently to any other parent in this respect. A future review is welcome. As …
Government response. The government states it has consulted on reforming the parental leave and pay system and will respond in due course, deferring a decision on extending entitlements to special guardians.
18
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Rejected
We welcome the Government’s recognition that special neonatal leave and pay should be introduced for all parents who find themselves in this situation. The Government plans to include provisions in its forthcoming Employment Bill to introduce this reform in 2023. In advance of the planned delivery of neonatal leave and …
Government response. The government rejects piloting neonatal leave and pay for those affected by Covid-19, explaining that such a pilot would still require complex legislation and IT systems and would not be delivered any sooner than the planned full entitlement in 2023.
19
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Not Addressed
We welcome the Government’s introduction of testing for members of the public. However, priority testing should be made available for parents of babies in neonatal care. No parent should be separated unnecessarily from their newborn for any longer that they need to. The Government should prioritise rapid testing for parents …
Government response. The government states that asymptomatic testing is conducted where clinically appropriate and that decisions on COVID-19 testing are made by individual NHS Trusts based on their own risk assessments, without committing to prioritising rapid testing for parents of babies in …
20
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Accepted in Part
We have heard about systemic problems in the funding of childcare before the pandemic. Just before the outbreak, we debated a petition which expressed concerns about how many parents struggled to afford childcare. Covid-19 has put a huge strain on the childcare sector at the same time as highlighting how …
Government response. The government addresses the short-term funding aspect by highlighting ongoing work, existing support schemes (CJRS, SEISS), continued funding for free childcare hours, and a commitment to fund local authorities at pre-pandemic levels for the autumn term. However, the response does …
21
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Accepted in Part
The current crisis has put new parents, particularly mothers, at increased risk of redundancy and hardship. New and expectant mothers are already a group who are vulnerable to discrimination, and the Government needs to ensure that the current crisis doesn’t widen this discrimination and inequality further. We recommend that the …
Government response. The government commits to extending redundancy protections to women returning from maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave, and from the point of informing an employer of pregnancy, but states this will be introduced through legislation 'as soon as parliamentary time …
22
Recommendation
First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on…
Deferred
We recognise the concerns of Maternity Action that pregnant women and new mothers, who are at significant risk of discrimination and dismissal, may struggle to prepare and submit legal challenges within the 3-month time limit, at what is already an extraordinarily challenging time. We recommend that the Government considers extending …
Government response. The government has deferred action on extending the employment tribunal claim period for pregnant women and new parents, stating the issue is being considered by the Government Equalities Office following a consultation, and a response will be published in due …
1
Conclusion
Second Report - The impact of Covid-19 …
Acknowledged
The Covid-19 outbreak has hugely disrupted the education of university students. A significant number of students have told us they are not receiving the standard of education that they had expected, feel they are entitled to, or which offers true value for money in light of the amount they are …
Government response. The government acknowledges the significant disruption and challenges faced by students, noting universities' adaptation to online teaching and the OfS's role in ensuring quality. It highlights that universities were enabled to increase hardship funds using existing funding to support disadvantaged …
2
Conclusion
Second Report - The impact of Covid-19 …
Accepted
We have heard evidence that universities, lecturers and support staff have made tremendous efforts to continue to deliver university courses in uniquely challenging circumstances, and some students have continued to receive an excellent education. In at least some cases universities have been able to provide courses in a way that …
Government response. The government welcomes the Committee's finding that there should not be a universal refund of tuition fees and expresses gratitude for the efforts made by universities and staff to deliver higher education during the pandemic.
3
Recommendation
Second Report - The impact of Covid-19 …
Accepted in Part
Students have a right to seek a refund or to repeat part of their course if the service provided by their university is substandard, but the exact circumstances in which students should expect to receive a refund or be able to repeat part of their course are not clear. Furthermore, …
Government response. The government agrees that circumstances for student redress are unclear and states that guidance has recently been published to aid students and providers. However, it explicitly rejects establishing a new centralised system for tuition fee refunds, citing the individualised nature …
4
Recommendation
Second Report - The impact of Covid-19 …
Acknowledged
While it appears that to date relatively few students have raised formal complaints with their universities or taken individual action to seek a refund of their tuition fees, many students are not happy with how university courses are being delivered. It is essential that all students are made aware of …
Government response. The government agrees students should be aware of their rights and is working with stakeholders (UUK, NUS, OfS, CMA, OIA) to explore how existing communication channels can improve students' understanding of their consumer rights, noting universities are already required to …
5
Conclusion
Second Report - The impact of Covid-19 …
Acknowledged
If a university has failed to provide the education a student has paid for, the student is entitled to a refund from that university. However, given the likely impact of Covid-19 on universities—which could cost them around £2.5 billion in fees and teaching grant income alone—there is a risk that …
Government response. The government states that student entitlement to a refund depends on individual contractual agreements. It details various financial support measures provided to universities, including loans and a restructuring regime, to help them manage the financial impacts of COVID-19 and ensure …
6
Recommendation
Second Report - The impact of Covid-19 …
Rejected
The Government has put in place unprecedented financial support measures to respond to Covid-19, paying the salaries of hundreds of thousands of employees nationally, and funding grants and loans for a huge number of businesses and industries. These are exceptional actions, in exceptional circumstances. Given the importance of the higher …
Government response. The government rejects providing additional funding to universities for student refunds or reducing student loans as a reimbursement method. It reiterates that refunds are a matter for individual providers based on contractual arrangements and points to existing stabilisation packages for …
7
Recommendation
Second Report - The impact of Covid-19 …
Rejected
While it is too early to know what effect the Covid-19 outbreak will have on university courses in the next academic year, there will not be a return to business as usual. We hope that all universities will be able to effectively deliver every university course to the standard that …
Government response. The government confirms that any actions taken regarding student refunds or course repeats will apply to students in the 2020/21 academic year, thereby rejecting the recommendation for such arrangements to extend to students affected by COVID-19 in future academic years.
8
Recommendation
Second Report - The impact of Covid-19 …
Acknowledged
University students whose courses have been affected by Covid-19, particularly those in their final year, are understandably concerned about the impact the disruption to their courses could have on their futures. We welcome the Government’s acknowledgment of these concerns, and its plans to look at the overall range of support …
Government response. The government acknowledges challenges for graduates and highlights general employment support like the Kickstart Scheme. It states a working group has been established to consider existing or additional guidance for postgraduate study opportunities, but does not commit to providing additional …