MP calls on better support for mums-to-be

Kirsten Oswald MP, Member of Parliament for East Renfrewshire, led a debate in the UK Parliament on the need for the UK Government to take action to improve parental leave and pay and to tackle pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

Kirsten is SNP Westminster Group Spokeswoman on Women and Equalities.

She condemned the UK Government’s failure to bring forward the Employment Bill promised by the Prime Minister in 2019 to deliver better conditions for British workers as part of the promised Brexit ‘dividend’, which was to include measures on pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

Kirsten said the situation with P&O in which 800 workers were dismissed by a pre-recorded message is a demonstration that UK employment law must be improved.

Although employment law and most of social security are reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government is committed to delivering fair work and to support new parents through this challenging time.

Kirsten said: “It is appalling that a country as rich as the UK provides such poor support for parents and children during pregnancy and in the crucial first months of a new life.

“In 2019, the Prime Minister promised an Employment Bill to ensure the employment rights of British workers did not drop after Brexit.

“He has failed to deliver on this, and it seems this Bill has now been shelved.

“The disgraceful sacking of 800 P&O workers shows how poor workers’ rights can be in the UK.

“Pregnant women and new parents regularly face problems in the workplace because any rights they may have are so difficult to enforce.

“The scandal of two-tier support for babies in the UK because of the Universal Credit clawback of Maternity Allowance must not be allowed to continue.”