The Ministerial and Other Maternity Allowances Bill - which intends to permit government ministers to take paid maternity leave while remaining in government - has gained traction in popular news outlets. However, what is the Bill, what does it mean, and where might it fall short?

Why is it needed?

A minister who wishes to take maternity leave must ask for permission from the Prime Minister. When granted, another minister is required to take-on the role of the minister on leave.

Currently, replacing a minister temporarily can result in difficulties. It may not be possible for some of the functions and responsibilities of very senior ministers to be covered. Additionally, current statutory limits mean that there is a maximum number of ministers that can be appointed. This means that where appointing a temporary minister would exceed this limit, despite one being on maternity leave, problems will incur.

Permitting paid maternity leave for ministers has been said to be ‘long overdue’ and is hoped to put an end to forcing women to resign in order to take leave to have children, due to the difficulties that temporary cover may bring. The bill passed all stages that are required for a bill to become law in parliament and will thus become applicable law in the near future. The development of the bill can be deemed important to all new and expecting mums, as it demonstrates a significant recognition of women’s rights finally being considered in parliament – an institution that should be leading by example.

What would change?

The bill would permit a minister to become a ‘minister on leave’ when granted by the Prime Minister. This would circumvent the statutory limit. A minister on leave would be entitled to 6 months maternity leave and they would be entitled to pay equivalent to their ministerial salary. However, the bill does not guarantee a minister will be appointed with the same ministerial role as before maternity leave is taken, as is the same with all ministerial positions which can be changed by the Prime Minister.

Ministers from the official opposition are also able to take paid maternity leave. This includes the leader of the opposition, the chief opposition whip in both houses and two assistant opposition whips in the commons.

Are there still concerns?

There are concerns that the bill excludes other important individuals from important rights. The bill only applies to maternity leave for birth mothers, and thus does not apply to other types of parental leave such as paternity leave, adoption leave or shared parental leave. Additionally, backbench MPs are also not entitled to the protections within the Bill. As a result, there may be more work to be done in order to ensure expecting and new parents are protected in our government.

Find out more at: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9133/

Author: Maili Raven-Adams