1st Report - Pregnancy and maternity discrimination
- HC No.
- HC 90
- Published
- 31 Aug 2016
- Items
- 0
- Government response
- Government response published 26 January 2017. Read the government's response ↗
Select committee: Women and Equalities Committee
Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination inquiry
Closed
Opened 8 Feb 2016
Closed 31 Jan 2017
Women and Equalities Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
The Women and Equalities Committee demand urgent action, calling on the Government to publish an ambitious, detailed plan within the next two years or risk a further rise in pregnant women and mothers being forced out of their work. Recommendations include changes to health and safety practices, preventing discriminatory redundancies and an increase in protection for casual, agency and zero-hours workers.
Where it stands
The inquiry is closed, opened 8 February 2016.
The committee has published 1 report, most recently 1st Report - Pregnancy and maternity discrimination on 31 August 2016.
The government's response
Published 26 January 2017.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government states that it is "committed to addressing this form of discrimination" and responds to all 21 recommendations, agreeing with some aims but, in several areas, such as risk assessments, relying on existing law and guidance.
- On risk assessments, it does not believe the recommendations "would bring about the improvement required, as the law is already sufficient in this area", and will keep the situation under review.
- On redundancy protection, it does not adopt the German-style system proposed. It says it "will consider further and bring forward proposals" to ensure existing protections are "sufficient".
- On tribunal time limits, it says the research did not suggest the three-month limit was a barrier. It will consider what further guidance can be provided on existing flexibilities and keep this under review.
- On monitoring, it says it will "seek to undertake representative research" into pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination using similar methodology to 2014-15. The response gives no date for this.
Reports
- 1st Report - Pregnancy and maternity discrimination31 August 2016
Evidence
- 3 oral evidence sessionsLatest 24 May 2016
Recent activity
- Pregnancy and maternity discrimination: Government Response to the Committee's First Report of Session 2016-1726 January 2017, Report published
- 1st Report - Pregnancy and maternity discrimination31 August 2016, Report published
- Oral evidence session24 May 2016, Oral evidence
Reports
Oral evidence sessions
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