Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of free specialist legal advice available to new and expectant mothers who have been subjected to pregnancy, maternity or sex discrimination at work.

The Government has not made any assessment of the adequacy of free specialist legal advice available to new and expectant mothers who have been subjected to pregnancy, maternity or sex discrimination at work. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service and the Equality and Advisory Support Service provide information about a range of statutory rights and entitlement, including those that apply to pregnant women and women on maternity leave.

Pregnancy and maternity discrimination is unlawful and unacceptable, which is why the Government and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission jointly funded independent research into the perceived problem. This is the largest research of its kind to be undertaken in Great Britain. Interim findings were published in July 2015 and can be found at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/pregnancy-and-maternity-related-discrimination-and-disadvantage-first-findings-surveys-employers-and-0

The final report, due to be published later this year, will inform the Government’s response.