Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in any of its official (1) paperwork, (2) guidance, (3) instructions, (4) manuals, or (5) other documents, (a) has replaced, or (b) intends to replace, the word “mother” with the phrase “parent who has given birth”.

As laid out in Hansard, 8 March 2007, Col. 146ws, in 2007, the then Government resolved to shift to gender-neutral drafting of legislation to avoid stereotypes that only men could hold positions of authority.

Notwithstanding, Ministers believe it is entirely appropriate to continue to refer to sex in legislation where helpful for clarity or pertinent (for example, legislation relating to the health needs of women).

In that light, we have not, nor do we intend to, replace the word 'mother' with the phrase 'parent who has given birth' in Departmental paperwork, guidance, instructions, manuals or other documents.