Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of backdating maternity exemption certificates to the start of pregnancy (a) if an application is made later in the pregnancy and (b) in all circumstances.

A maternity exemption certificate can be applied for as soon as a healthcare professional has confirmed the pregnancy or that the patient has given birth, including still-birth, in the previous twelve months. The certificate is automatically backdated one month from the date the application is received by the NHS Business Services Authority.