Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of a period of statutory maternity pay being used to calculate a reduced furlough pay entitlement for returning mothers on variable pay; and if he will make a statement.

Employees on variable pay who have been on Statutory Maternity Pay or other forms of Parental Leave are eligible to apply for furlough pay under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Eligible employees will be entitled to 80% of the higher rate of two calculations: either the wages earned in the corresponding calendar period in the tax year 2019 to 2020, or the average wages payable in the tax year 2019 to 2020. These measures have been put in place to cover a wide range of contractual and working arrangements and are designed to mitigate situations where individuals have low pay in a certain month for any reason.