Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether people on maternity leave beyond the period of 39 weeks' statutory maternity pay are able to return to work before the intended end of their leave and then be furloughed; if so, whether they would need to give eight weeks' notice to return to work early in order to qualify for furlough arrangements; and if not; what assessment they have made of the disparity in circumstances for these women compared to those still in receipt of maternity pay who have to give eight weeks' notice before returning to work in order to be furloughed.

Employed mothers are required to take at least two weeks Statutory Maternity Leave (or four weeks of they are a factory worker) immediately after giving birth. Generally speaking, if an employed mother wishes to return to work before the end of her Maternity Leave (which is 52 weeks), she is required to give at least 8 weeks’ notice of the date that she intends to return to work, irrespective of whether she is on paid or unpaid Maternity Leave. However, the employer can agree to the employee returning on shorter or no notice.