Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he is taking steps to ensure that all new mothers have access to maternity pay.

All employed women who satisfy the eligibility criteria are entitled to receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from their employer. Employed women who are not entitled to SMP, and self-employed women, can claim for Maternity Allowance (MA) from the Department for Work and Pensions. The qualifying conditions for both SMP and MA are generally based on a woman's recent employment and earnings. Information on the eligibility criteria for SMP and MA can be found on GOV.UK.