HC Deb 12 March 1981 vol 1000 c365W
Miss Richardson

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he estimates would be the cost of reducing the qualification period for maternity leave and pay under the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act to one year from two years.

Mr. Peter Morrison

I estimate that this would increase the cost of the maternity pay fund by about a quarter, which, on current figures, would amount to about £9 million in a full financial year.