Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is going to implement the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Human Rights Eleventh Report of Session 2019–21, Black people, racism and human rights, relating to Black Maternal Health.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights report recommends that the Government introduces a target to end the disparity in maternal mortality between black and white women.

Work is being undertaken by the Chief Midwifery Officer for England to understand why mortality rates are higher, consider evidence about what will reduce mortality rates and take action to improve equity in outcomes and experience of care for mothers and their babies. Research is also being carried by the Policy Research Unit in Maternal and Neonatal Health and Care at the University of Oxford to better understand the reasons for any disparity, assess local variation and also identify areas with less disparity and hence best practice. The Department does not plan to introduce a target to reduce inequalities in maternity outcomes in England whilst this work takes place.