Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will ensure that consideration of (a) maternity pay and (b) pregnancy poverty are included in the work of the child poverty taskforce.

The Child Poverty Taskforce is considering all children across the United Kingdom and is exploring all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty.

The Taskforce is listening to experts and campaigners and ensuring the voices of families and children with experience of poverty are brought into policy thinking and decision making as part of the development of the Child Poverty Strategy. This programme of work has ensured people’s experiences have been shared with Ministers and senior decision makers, and the findings are directly informing the development of the Strategy.