Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will issue guidance to midwifes, GPs and health visitors on the timeframe in which a Matex certificate should be applied for after a woman becomes pregnant.

The are no plans to do so. The NHS Business Services Authority’s existing guidance states that midwives, doctors or health visitors can complete the maternity exemption certificate application for pregnant women as soon as pregnancy is confirmed.